Date of Conferral

2023

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Management

Advisor

Johnny Morris

Abstract

The need for soft skills in corrections and law enforcement continues to be polarized in the media, and the courts, costing organizations billions in litigation and, in some cases, costing the lives for which the individuals have sworn to protect. The purpose of this quantitative correlational study aimed to examine the relationship between counterproductive work behavior (CWB) and emotional intelligence (EI). The research questions focused on the relationship between CWB and EI among leaders in corrections with age, gender, education, and veteran status as control variables. The relationship between a leader's CWB and their EI was not known. The theoretical framework included Goleman's theory of EI. The sample group comprised 94 correctional leaders across the United States and at every leadership level. A leader must have had at least 24 months of experience equivalent to the GS-9 level or above, excluded from the bargaining unit, and have supervised at least one subordinate employee. Seventy-nine participants were deemed eligible for the study. Data from a self-reported questionnaire utilizing workplace demographics, the Wong and Law Emotional Intelligence Scale, and the Spector and Fox Counterproductive Work Behavior Checklist were analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences. The hypotheses were tested by conducting a simple and multiple linear regression and a means comparison. The findings were significant and determined that there is a relationship between CWB and EI among leaders in corrections. The findings will assist in employees' recruitment, development, training, and emotional wellbeing by focusing on individual EI competencies that can mitigate CWB and create positive social change in their work and personal life.

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