Experimental electron temperature profiles are well described by energy transport models that, under reasonable assumptions for the resistivity produce current density profiles stable against tearing modes different from m=2, n=1. A numerical analysis has been performed to see if the observed temperature-current density profiles are intrinsically stable with respect to the tearing modes or if, on the contrary, the tearing modes act as a mechanism that enhances the local transport leading to the observed radial quantities. A steady-state transport model embodying a principle of Delta ' minimization together with an enhanced transport in the vicinity of the rational surfaces q=m/n has been implemented to study the effect of the radial dependence of the electron energy transport on the stability of the tearing modes.