The Moderating Role of Emotional Quotient on the Relationship between Sociocultural Adaptation and Psychological Distress of Filipino Migrants
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.67903/ijroms0546Keywords:
Emotional Quotient, International Migration, Psychological Distress, Sociocultural AdaptationAbstract
The main challenges of every Filipino migrant are sociocultural adaptation and psychological distress when living abroad. With this, strong emotional quotient is needed to survive. This study investigated the moderating role of emotional quotient on the relationship between sociocultural adaptation and psychological distress among Filipino migrants. The researchers administered a questionnaire to 414 respondents (nurses, food service worker, and office/ admin workers) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The data were statistically analyzed. The study showed that Filipino migrants were competent (x̄ =3.61, σ=0.90) in terms of overall sociocultural adaptation, likely to have mild psychological distress (x̄=20.34, σ=7.52) and had medium-high level of emotional quotient (x̄=123.94, σ=16.17). Additionally, sociocultural adaptation and psychological distress are significantly and negatively related (r=-.143, p=.004). Current study revealed that emotional quotient is not a significant moderator in the relationship between overall sociocultural adaptation and psychological distress (R2=0.006, p=0.099). However, emotional quotient significantly moderated the relationship between certain subscales of sociocultural adaptation and psychological distress which includes; interpersonal communication and psychological distress (R2=0.009, p=0.048), and, ‘personal interest and community involvement’ and psychological distress (R2=0.009, p=0.049). Lastly, perception of emotions (subscale of emotional quotient), significantly moderated the relationship between overall sociocultural adaptation and psychological distress (R2 =.011, p = 0.033). This calls for relevant stakeholders to provide programs to improve the EQ of Filipino migrants, improve sociocultural adaptation, address psychological distress and further study about the role of perception of emotions.
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