The EQ Yardsticks

The SEI-YV Report includes the EQ Yardstick chart, which shows which EQ components are significant predictors of the different Life Barometers. This chart can help the Assessor further interpret the profile and identify important areas to celebrate success and to focus attention for development.

Here is an example of one section:

Each Life Barometer and its score appears in the leftmost column (let's consider Personal Achievement that is shown in the first column; the average score for each Barometer is 100 with a standard deviation every 15 points away from 100). In the center column are the three EQ components that statistical analysis suggests to be the most powerful drivers of that Life Barometer (again, the mean score in these scales is 100, with 15 points as the standard deviation.) To the right is a graph with the three EQ components in columns, and a line showing the Life Barometer score. In this sample, 2 EQ components are below the Life Barometer, indicating that this outcome is not well driven by this youth’s EQ. This can be interpreted to show the outcome is coming from Exercising Optimism and maybe another resources (such as IQ, family support, luck, etc). It can also mean that the outcome is unlikely to be sustained without developing all or some of the EQ drivers that will support the outcome.

Another possible scenario is that the EQ drivers are higher than the Life Barometer line. In this case, there are EQ strengths that can be used to bring up the outcome.

With attention to a particular barometer, the student can be coached to use his/her EQ competencies to develop action steps to improve the outcome. If low, then the EQ competency could be an important development area. If high, it could be a sustainable strength. Finally, the Life Barometer line may be quite close to the EQ components. This means there is a match between the level of EQ and the outcome.

As far as we know, the analysis provided in the Yardstick is not available in any other report and is especially important given the SEI-YV’s focus on the application of EQ to create positive change.