The Role of Emotional Intelligence in the Processes of Psychological Adaptation of Personality to a New Sociocultural Environment

Abstract

The article examines the role of emotional intelligence in the processes of psychological adaptation to a new sociocultural environment, drawing on contemporary empirical and theoretical research in cross-cultural psychology, social neuroscience, and the psychology of well-being. The study integrates evidence on demographic, emotional, neural, and institutional factors of adaptation, emphasizing the multi-stage and mediated nature of the influence of emotional intelligence on individual psychological functioning. It is shown that emotional intelligence does not operate as a direct determinant of well-being or behavioral outcomes but exerts its effects through processes of psychological and cross-cultural adaptation, which function as a central transformational mechanism. Particular attention is given to the role of cross-cultural competence as a key mediator, as well as to the neural foundations of social adaptation associated with systems of self-reflection and cognitive control. The analysis demonstrates that successful adaptation mediates the relationship between emotional intelligence and eudaimonic well-being, professional performance, and long-term life decisions, including the intention to remain in the host country. It is also shown that stress under conditions of sociocultural change may act both as a risk factor and as a source of psychological growth when sufficient emotional-cognitive resources are present. The article may be useful for researchers and practitioners studying psychological adaptation, emotional intelligence, and processes of individual integration in contexts of cultural mobility.