Affiliation: Université catholique de Louvain
Belgian National Fund for Scientific research (FNRS)
Email: moira.mikolajczak@uclouvain.be

Biography

Moïra Mikolajczak received her Ph.D. from the University of Louvain in 2006. She did her post-doc with James Gross at Stanford University, California, and she is now Professor of Emotion and Health Psychology at the University of Louvain (Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium). Her main line of research concerns emotional intelligence, which she studies from both fundamental and applied perspectives. Her fundamental research aims to understand the biological and behavioral pathways by which emotional intelligence influences health. Her applied research seeks to determine whether and how emotional intelligence can be improved in adults, and which are the consequences of this improvement for people's psychological, somatic and social adjustment. She is the author of numerous scientific articles on emotional intelligence and the editor of several reference handbooks in French on emotional competence and emotion regulation. Besides her interest for emotional intelligence, she is also a leading scholar in the study of parental burnout.

Selected EI-related Articles

Nozaki, Yuki ; Mikolajczak, Moïra. Effectiveness of extrinsic emotion regulation strategies in text-based online communication. In: Emotion, Vol. 23, no.6, p. 1714-1725 (2023). doi:10.1037/emo0001186.

Bayot, Marie ; Roskam, Isabelle ; Gallée, Laura ; Mikolajczak, Moïra. When emotional intelligence backfires : Interactions between intra- and interpersonal emotional competencies in the case of parental burnout. In: Journal of Individual Differences, Vol. 42, no.1, p. 1-8 (2021). doi:10.1027/1614-0001/a000324.

Galdiolo, Sarah ; Gaugue, Justine ; Mikolajczak, Moïra ; Van Cappellen, Patty. Development of trait emotional intelligence in response to childbirth: A longitudinal couple perspective. In: Frontiers in Psychiatry, Vol. 11, no.560127 (2020). doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2020.560127.

Nozaki, Yuki ; Mikolajczak, Moïra. Extrinsic emotion regulation. In: Emotion, Vol. 20, no.1, p. 10-15 (2020). doi:10.1037/emo0000636.

Sarrionandia, Ainize ; Mikolajczak, Moïra. A meta-analysis of the possible behavioural and biological variables linking trait emotional intelligence to health. In: Health Psychology Review, Vol. 14, no.2, p. 220-244 (2020). doi:10.1080/17437199.2019.1641423.

Lecat, Antoine ; Weytens, Fanny ; Mikolajczak, Moïra. Effect of an ecological attentional bias modification towards positive cues on positive affect and well-being. In: Psychology, Vol. 10, no.05, p. 648-666 (2019). doi:10.4236/psych.2019.105041.

Nozaki, Yuki ; Puente-Martínez, Alicia ; Mikolajczak, Moïra. Evaluating the higher-order structure of the Profile of Emotional Competence (PEC): Confirmatory factor analysis and Bayesian structural equation modeling. In: PLOS ONE, Vol. 14, no.11, p. e0225070 (2019). doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0225070.

Kotsou, Ilios ; Mikolajczak, Moïra ; Heeren, Alexandre ; Grégoire, Jacques ; Leys, Christophe. Improving emotional intelligence: A systematic review of existing work and future challenges. In: Emotion Review, Vol. 11, no. 2, p. 151–165 (2019). doi:10.1177/1754073917735902.

Szczygiel, Dorota Daniela ; Mikolajczak, Moïra. Emotional intelligence buffers the effects of negative emotions on job burnout in nursing. In: Frontiers in Psychology, Vol. 9, no.2649 (2018). doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2018.02649.

Szczygiel, Dorota ; Mikolajczak, Moïra. Is it enough to be an extrovert to be liked? Emotional competence moderates the relationship between extraversion and peer-rated likeability. In: Frontiers in Psychology, Vol. 9, no.804 (2018). doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2018.00804.

Mikolajczak, Moïra ; Van Bellegem, Sébastien. Increasing emotional intelligence to decrease healthcare expenditures: how profitable would it be?. In: Personality and Individual Differences, Vol. 116, p. 343-347 (2017). doi:10.1016/j.paid.2017.05.014.

Szczygiel, Dorota ; Mikolajczak, Moïra. Why are people high in emotional intelligence happier? They make the most of their positive emotions. In: Personality and Individual Differences, Vol. 117, p. 177-181 (2017). doi:10.1016/j.paid.2017.05.051.

Petrides, K. V. ; Mikolajczak, Moïra ; Mavroveli, Stella ; Sanchez-Ruiz, Maria-Jose ; Furnham, Adrian ; Pérez-González, Juan-Carlos. Developments in trait emotional intelligence research. In: Emotion Review, Vol. 8, no.4, p. 335-341 (October 2016). doi:10.1177/1754073916650493.

Pena Sarrionandia, Ainize ; Mikolajczak, Moïra ; Gross, James J.. Integrating emotion regulation and emotional intelligence traditions: a meta-analysis. In: Frontiers in Psychology, Vol. 6, no.160, p. 1-27 (2015). doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2015.00160.

Mikolajczak, M., Avalosse, H., Vancorenland, S., Verniest, R. Callens, M. van Broeck, N. Fantini-Hauwel, C. & Mierop, A. (in press). A Nationally Representative Study of Emotional Competence and Health. Emotion.

Quoidbach, J., Gruber, J., Mikolajczak, M., Kogan, A., Kotsou, I., & Norton, M. I. (2014). Emodiversity and the emotional ecosystem. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 143, 2057-66.

Fantini-Hauwel, C. & Mikolajczak, M. (2014) Factor structure, evolution and predictive power of emotional competencies on physical and emotional health in the elderly. Journal of Aging and Health, 26, 993-114.

Weytens, F., Luminet, O., Verhofstadt, L. & Mikolajczak, M. (2014). An integrative theory-driven positive emotion regulation intervention.  PLoS ONE 9(4): e95677. 

Mikolajczak, M., Brasseur, C. & Fantini-Hauwel, C. (2014) Measuring Intrapersonal and Interpersonal EQ: The Short Profile of Emotional Competence (S-PEC). Personality and Individual Differences, 65, 42-46.

Fiori M., Antonietti, J.P., Mikolajczak, M., Luminet, O., Hansenne, M. & Rossier, J. (in press) What Is The Ability Emotional Intelligence Test (MSCEIT) Good For? An evaluation using Item Response Theory. PLoS ONE, 9(6): e98827.

Brasseur, S., Grégoire, J., Bourdu, R. & Mikolajczak, M. (2013). The Profile of Emotional Competence (PEC): Development and validation of a measure that fits dimensions of Emotional Competence theory. PLoS ONE, 8(5): e62635.

Mikolajczak, M., Balon, N., Ruosi, M., & Kotsou, I. (2012). Sensitive but not sentimental: Emotionally intelligent people can put their emotions aside when necessary. Personality and Individual Differences, 52, 537-540.

Kotsou, I., Grégoire, J., Nelis, D., & Mikolajczak, M. (2011). Emotional plasticity: conditions and effects of improving emotional competence in adulthood. Journal of Applied Psychology, 96, 827-839.

Nelis, D., Kotsou, I., Quoidbach, J., Dupuis, P., Weytens, F., Hansenne, M., & Mikolajczak, M. (2011). Increasing emotional compétence improves psychological and physical well-being, social relationships and employability. Emotion, 11, 354-366

Mikolajczak, M., Bodarwé, K., Laloyaux, O., Hansenne, M, & Nelis, D. (2010). Association between frontal EEG asymmetries and emotional intelligence among adults. Personality and Individual Differences, 48, 177-181.

Quoidbach, J., Berry, E., Hansenne, M., & Mikolajczak, M. (2010). Positive emotion regulation and well-being: Comparing the impact of eight savoring and dampening strategies. Personality and Individual Differences, 49, 368-373.

Cordovil de Sousa, M., de Timary, P., Cortesi, M.A., Mikolajczak, du Roy de Blicquy, P.,& M., Luminet, O. (2010). The emotional components of craving: covariation of craving, affect, alexithymia, emotional intelligence in alcohol-dependent patients. Personality and Individual Differences, 48, 16-21.

Mikolajczak, M. (2009). Moving beyond the ability-trait debate: A three level model of emotional intelligence. E-Journal of Applied Psychology, 5, 25-31.

Mikolajczak, M., Petrides, K.V., Hurry, J. (2009). Adolescents choosing self-harm as an emotion regulation strategy: the protective role of trait emotional intelligence. British Journal of Clinical Psychology, 48, 181-193.

Mikolajczak, M., Petrides, K.V., Coumans, N., & Luminet, O. (2009). An experimental investigation of the moderating effects of trait emotional intelligence on laboratory-induced stress. International Journal of Clinical and Health Psychology, 9, 455-477.

Mikolajczak, M., Roy, E., & Verstrynge, V., & Luminet, O. (2009). An Exploration of the Moderating Effect of Trait Emotional Intelligence on Memory and Attention in Neutral and Stressful Conditions. British Journal of Psychology, 100, 699-715.

Nelis, D., Quoidbach, J., Mikolajczak, M. & Hansenne, M. (2009). Improving emotional intelligence: (How) Does it work? Personality and Individual Differences, 47, 36-41.

Mikolajczak, M., Nelis, D., Hansenne, M., & Quoidbach, J. (2008). If you can regulate sadness, you can probably regulate shame: associations between trait emotional intelligence, emotion regulation and coping efficiency across discrete emotions. Personality and Individual Differences, 44, 1356-1368.

Mikolajczak, M., & Luminet, O. (2008). Trait emotional intelligence and the cognitive appraisal of stressful events: an exploratory study. Personality and Individual Differences, 44, 1445-1453.

Mikolajczak, M., Roy, E., Luminet, O., Fillée, C. & de Timary, P.(2007). The moderating impact of emotional intelligence on the free cortisol responses to stress. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 32, 1000-1012.

Mikolajczak, M., Luminet, O., Leroy, C., & Roy, E. (2007). Psychometric Properties of the Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire: Factor Structure, Reliability, Construct, and Incremental Validity in a French-Speaking Population. Journal of Personality Assessment, 88, 338-353.

Mikolajczak, M., Menil, C., & Luminet, O. (2007). Explaining the protective effect of trait emotional intelligence regarding occupational stress: exploration of emotional labour processes. Journal of Research in Personality, 41, 1107-1117.

Mikolajczak, M., Luminet, O. & Menil, C. (2006). Predicting mental and somatic resistance to stress: the incremental validity of trait emotional intelligence over alexithymia and optimism. Psicothema, 18 [Special issue on Emotional Intelligence], 79-88.

Mikolajczak, M. & Luminet, O. (2006). Is alexithymia affected by situational stress or is it a stable trait related to emotion regulation. Personality and Individual Differences, 40, 1399-1408.

EI Related Book Chapters

Mikolajczak, M., Kotsou, I. & Nelis, D. (2013). Improving emotional competence in adults. In C. Mohiyeddini, M. Eysenck, & S. Bauer: Psychology of Emotions. New York : Nova.

Mikolajczak, M., Kotsou, I. & Nelis, D. (2013). Efficient Programs To Improve Trait And Ability EI in Adults: Lessons Learned from the Louvain Emotional Competence Training. In J.C. Pérez-González, S. Mavroveli, & D. Anaya, Assessment and education of emotional intelligence.

Mikolajczak, M. & Bausseron, E. (2012). Les compétences émotionnelles chez l’adulte [Emotional compétence in adults] in O. Luminet : Les émotions. Bruxelles : De Boeck.

Mikolajczak, M., & Belzung, C. (2012). Psychophysiologie des émotions et de leur régulation. In M. Mikolajczak & M. Desseilles. Traité de la régulation émotionnelle. Bruxelles : DeBoeck.

Mikolajczak, M., & Desseilles, M. (2012).  Introduction à la régulation des émotions. In M. Mikolajczak & M. Desseilles. Traité de la régulation émotionnelle. Bruxelles : DeBoeck.

Mikolajczak, M. (2012). Approche empirique de la régulation des émotions. In M. Mikolajczak & M. Desseilles. Traité de la régulation émotionnelle. Bruxelles : DeBoeck.

Mikolajczak, M., Nelis, D. & Kotsou, I. (2012).  Pistes d’amélioration de la régulation émotionnelle à l’âge adulte. In M. Mikolajczak & M. Desseilles. Traité de la régulation émotionnelle. Bruxelles : DeBoeck.

Mikolajczak, M., Tran, V., Brotheridge, C. & Gross, J.J. (2009). Using an emotion regulation framework to predict the outcomes of emotional labour. In C.E.J. Härtel, N.M. Ashkanasy, & W.J. Zerbe (Eds) (pp 245-273). Research on Emotion in organizations: Emotions in groups, organizations and cultures. Bingley, UK: Emerald.

Mikolajczak, M. (2009). Why (and how) the emotional intelligence field should absolutely stop digging its own grave? In P. Fernandez-Berrocal, N. Extremera, R. Palomera, D. Ruiz-Aranda, J. Salguero & R. Cabello (Eds) (pp 85-91), Advances en el studio de la inteligencia emocional. Santander: Marcelino Botin.