This study aims to examine the effects of Emotional Intelligence (EI) training on marital satisfaction and mental health among married adults in Dhaka city, Bangladesh. Emotional intelligence refers to the ability to recognize, understand, regulate, and manage emotions in oneself and others. Previous studies suggest that emotional intelligence is associated with better relationship quality and psychological well-being; however, limited intervention-based evidence is available in Bangladesh.

A pretest-posttest quasi-experimental design with intervention and control groups will be used. Married adults living in Dhaka City will be assessed on emotional intelligence, marital satisfaction, anxiety, depression, and mental well-being at baseline. Participants with lower emotional intelligence scores based on the baseline TEIQue-SF assessment will be selected for the intervention phase.

The intervention group will receive a structured emotional intelligence training program focusing on emotional awareness, emotion regulation, empathy, communication skills, and interpersonal problem-solving. Assessments will be conducted at baseline, post-intervention, and follow-up to evaluate changes in marital satisfaction and mental health outcomes.

The findings are expected to provide evidence regarding the effectiveness of emotional intelligence training as a low-cost, non-clinical intervention for improving marital relationships and psychological well-being among married individuals in Bangladesh.

Background

Marital dissatisfaction, emotional distress, anxiety, and depression are increasingly recognized as important public health concerns affecting individual and family well-being. Emotional intelligence has been identified as a potential factor associated with healthier interpersonal relationships, improved emotional regulation, and better psychological adjustment. Previous research has shown associations between emotional intelligence, marital satisfaction, and mental health outcomes. However, limited intervention-based research has examined whether emotional intelligence training can improve marital satisfaction and mental health among married adults in Bangladesh.

Purpose of the Study

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of an emotional intelligence training program on marital satisfaction and mental health among married individuals living in Dhaka City.

Study Design

The study will use a pretest-posttest quasi-experimental design with intervention and control groups. Assessments will be conducted at three time points: baseline assessment, post-intervention assessment, and follow-up assessment. The interval between baseline and post-intervention assessments will be at least four weeks, and the follow-up assessment will be conducted three months after completion of the intervention.

Participants and Sampling

The target population will include married men and women residing in Dhaka city. Participants will be recruited using convenience sampling.

Inclusion criteria will include:

Married for at least two years Living with spouse Living in a nuclear family Age between 20 and 60 years Ability to read and write Bangla Willingness to participate in the study

Exclusion criteria will include:

Presence of severe physical illness Incomplete assessment responses

Participants with lower emotional intelligence scores based on the baseline TEIQue-SF assessment will be selected. Approximately the lowest 40% of scorers from the baseline sample will be included in the intervention phase and randomly assigned to intervention and control groups.

A total sample size of 120 participants is planned, with 60 participants in the intervention group and 60 participants in the control group.

Intervention

The intervention group will receive a structured emotional intelligence training program designed to improve emotional awareness, emotional regulation, empathy, interpersonal communication, and coping skills. Training sessions will include psychoeducation, group discussion, practical exercises, and real-life applications related to emotional functioning and marital relationships.

The control group will not receive the full intervention during the study period. After completion of the post-test assessment, the control group will receive a one-day workshop on emotional intelligence.

Outcome Measures

The study will assess emotional intelligence, marital satisfaction, anxiety, depression, and psychological well-being using standardized self-report instruments.

The following measures will be used:

Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire-Short Form (TEIQue-SF) ENRICH Marital Satisfaction Scale (EMS) Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II) Mental Health Continuum-Short Form (MHC-SF)

Socio-demographic information including age, gender, education, occupation, socioeconomic status, and number of children will also be collected.

Procedure

Eligible participants will receive information regarding the purpose and procedures of the study before providing informed consent. Baseline assessments will be conducted prior to group allocation.

Participants with lower emotional intelligence scores based on the baseline TEIQue-SF assessment will be selected. Approximately the lowest 40% of scorers from the baseline sample will be included in the intervention phase and randomly assigned to intervention and control groups. The intervention group will participate in the emotional intelligence training program, while the control group will continue usual daily activities during the intervention period.

Post-intervention and follow-up assessments will be conducted using the same measures administered at baseline.

Data Analysis

Data analysis will be conducted using SPSS and R statistical software. Descriptive statistics will be calculated for socio-demographic and study variables. Baseline differences between groups will be examined using independent sample t-tests. Pearson correlation analysis will be conducted to examine relationships among study variables.

Multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) will be used to evaluate intervention effects on marital satisfaction and mental health outcomes while controlling for baseline scores. Repeated measures analysis will be conducted to examine changes across assessment time points and evaluate maintenance of intervention effects over time.

Expected Significance

The study is expected to contribute evidence regarding the effectiveness of emotional intelligence training for improving marital satisfaction and mental health among married adults in Bangladesh. The findings may support the development of preventive mental health interventions, relationship enhancement programs, and family well-being initiatives in community and clinical settings.

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Married men and women living in Dhaka city
2. Age between 20 and 40 years
3. Married for at least 2 years and living with spouse
4. Living in a nuclear family
5. Able to read and write (literate)
6. Willing to participate and provide informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Individuals with self-reported severe physical illness
2. Individuals with incomplete questionnaire responses
3. Individuals unwilling to participate or unable to provide informed consent

Individual participant data (IPD) will not be shared publicly due to ethical and confidentiality concerns. The study involves sensitive personal and psychological information related to marital satisfaction, emotional intelligence, and mental health. To protect participant privacy and ensure confidentiality, only aggregate results will be reported in publications and presentations. Data access will be restricted to the research team only.