Focusing on an individual’s social skills requires considering the emotional and intellectual factors that support them. Along with personality traits, these factors shape distinctive characteristics that are also reflected in socialization difficulties, particularly among incarcerated women and those who have reintegrated into society after release.
This study aimed to explore the manifestation of emotional intelligence and socialization challenges in women deprived of their liberty in Panama. For this purpose, a descriptive analysis was conducted on a sample of 18 women incarcerated convicted of the crime against collective security. For this, the evaluation instruments were: the Mayer-Salovey-Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test (MSCEIT), the Cantoblanco Socialization Difficulty Scale (SOC), and a structured interview, prepared ad hoc, based on general and sociodemographic data. As a result, 50% of the participants had a competent level of emotional intelligence, while the remaining 50% had a level of aspects to develop. The difficulty of socialization reflected an average level of 44% of the participants. Recommendations for future research are discussed.
