Using latent profile analysis to investigate emotional intelligence profiles in a sample of American university students

Numerous empirical investigations have explored the contribution of emotional intelligence to academic success. Although these studies have contributed to the literature, most have adopted variable‐centric analytic approaches that may mask our understanding of the nuanced association between emotional intelligence, noncognitive factors, and academic success. Therefore, the current study was designed to identify unique emotional intelligence profiles using latent‐class analysis. A convenience sample of university students (N = 432, 79.7% Caucasian, 80.62% female, 18–65 years old, X ¯ $\mathop{X}\limits^{̅}\,$Age = 21.55 ± 5.47) attending two public universities completed the Brief Emotional Intelligence Scale, Brief Cope Inventory, Inventory of School Motivation, Engagement Versus Disaffection with Learning Scale, Cognitive Test Anxiety Scale‐2nd Edition, and Perceived Stress Scale. The sample consisted of freshman (13.87%), sophomore (32.53%), junior (35.16%), senior (13.15%), and master's (5.26%) students. Using latent profile analysis, we identified four unique emotional intelligence profiles which differed along competencies identified in the ability model of emotional intelligence. Follow‐up analyses indicated that problem and social‐focused coping strategies, mastery orientation, and behavioral and emotional engagement contributed to the separation of students belonging to the identified profiles. Our discussion focuses on the importance of fostering emotional intelligence within higher education settings to support student success. Practitioner points Students were assigned to low emotional intelligence, moderate emotional intelligence, high emotional intelligence, and other‐focused utilization profiles. There were significant differences in problem‐focused coping, social‐focused coping, perceived stress, mastery goals, emotional engagement, and behavioral engagement across emotional intelligence profiles. There were no significant differences in avoidant coping, cognitive test anxiety, emotional disaffection, behavioral disaffection, social goals, and performance goals across emotional intelligence profiles.