The person who eases your mind "Ibasyo" and emotional intelligence in interpersonal adaptation

The present study was carried out to examine the effect of the "Ibasyo" (the person who eases one's mind) and emotional intelligence (EI) on self-esteem and loneliness. Five hundred and eight Japanese undergraduates were asked to choose one of the alternatives (e. g., myself, mother, friend) to answer the question "Who is the person that eases your mind?" Then, they were asked to rate items from scales corresponding to EI, self-esteem and loneliness. Multiple regression analyses indicated that both Ibasyo and EI explained 25% of loneliness, but only EI explained 25% of self-esteem. The analyses also showed differences of sub-abilities in EI that determined the level of loneliness and self-esteem among Ibasyo groups. These results are interpreted as showing the importance of EI in adaptation.