Drozdov D.S., Korchagina A.P., Kostenko V.Yu. Psychometric analysis of the Russian language version of the brief form of the Situational Test of Emotional Understanding (STEU-B)

The methods employed for measuring emotional intelligence indicators are predominantly self-report instruments, except for the MSCEIT Emotional Intelligence Test, which was adapted in 2019. However, there is a need to study emotional intelligence using various tools, so that this could facilitate the distinction between the effects of the test itself and those of the theoretical construct. Considering this, the present article is dedicated to the adaptation of the brief version of the Situational Test of Emotional Understanding (STEU-B) into the Russian language. This test development is based on the four-branch model of emotional intelligence proposed by J. Mayer, P. Salovey, and D. Caruso, and it allows for the assessment of an individual's competencies in the context of understanding emotions and how an emotional situation may unfold over time (the third branch). The test consists of 19 questions with correct and incorrect response options.

The psychometric analysis of the STEU-B test was conducted on a Russian-speaking sample of economically active individuals comprising 282 respondents (including 50.7% (143) women) aged between 20 and 75 (M = 43, SD = 9.94). In addition to the test itself, the study also employed the following instruments: the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (EQR), the Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire (EmIn), and the Toronto Alexithymia Scale.

The results of the confirmatory factor analysis confirmed a unifactorial structure of the test. Reliability analysis using a three-parameter model of modern test theory (3PL IRT) demonstrated acceptable values: 0.62. The 3PL IRT model allowed for the confirmation of the theoretical model's correspondence to the data and for the evaluation of several test parameters: difficulty, discrimination, and guessing. Correlational analysis revealed no significant relationships between the STEU-B and other instruments, except for a notable negative correlation with the externally oriented thinking subscale of the Toronto Alexithymia Scale, which aligned with findings from the original examination of the test. Significant differences in mean scores between women and men indicated the differential validity of the test.

In conclusion, it can be stated that the Brief Form of the Situational Test of Emotional Understanding has demonstrated its psychometric sufficiency. The results suggest that the STEU-B can be utilized in research where there is a need to reduce testing time or where emotional intelligence is not the central construct. However, further studies should explore the test parameters on larger samples and investigate the cross-cultural stability and the relationship between the STEU-B and other emotional intelligence tests. 

Key words: emotional intelligence, Situational Test of Emotional Understanding, alexithymia, modern test theory, self-regulation, personality development

For citation: Drozdov, D.S., Korchagina, A.P., Kostenko, V.Yu. (2025). Psychometric analysis of the Russian language version of the brief form of the Situational Test of Emotional Understanding (STEU-B). New Psychological Research, No. 2, 67–87. DOI: 10.51217/npsyresearch_2025_05_02_04

Acknowledgment

The publication was prepared in the course of the research No. 24-00-046 ‘Evidence-based Approach to Personality Development: Opportunities and Limitations’ in HSE University Research Foundation Programme.