Pilot dataset across three subsamples for the construct validity of the Academic Staff Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire (ASEIQ)

This dataset comprises responses from the development and validation study of the Academic Staff Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire (ASEIQ), a novel instrument designed to assess emotional intelligence among university lecturers in Nigeria. Data were collected from 3,122 academic staff across two Nigerian universities and include demographic variables and responses to 26 questionnaire items covering five dimensions of emotional intelligence: self-regulation, empathy, self-awareness, social awareness, and internal motivation. The sample was further split into three sub-samples: Subsample 1 (n = 262) for Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA), Subsample 2 (n = 1,300) for Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA), and Subsample 3 (n = 1,560) for Bifactor modelling. The dataset supports exploratory factor analysis (EFA), confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), and bifactor modelling procedures used to validate the ASEIQ's psychometric properties, demonstrating robust reliability and construct validity. Researchers and educators can use this dataset to examine emotional intelligence constructs in higher education contexts, explore cultural adaptations of EI instruments, and inform policy and professional development for academic staff.