Bulgarian Journal of Science and Education Policy (Dec 2019)
Emotional Abilities of Emotional Intelligence (EI) and Academic Performance: Examining Their Relationship Using Nigeria University Undergraduate Chemistry Students
Abstract
The relationship between emotional intelligence and academic performance is well established but less is known about how six emotional abilities predict academic performance. Using a sample of 164 undergraduate students, the researchers examined the relationships among the six emotional abilities of emotional intelligence and their academic performance in chemistry. The participants responded to Schutte emotional intelligence scale and provided informed consent for their total score in basic chemistry course to be paired with their responses (academic performance). Analyses tested the collective influence of six emotional abilities, gender, age and total emotional intelligence on academic performance. The examination revealed that except for, gender age and ERS (r =.053 - .117), all emotional abilities of emotional intelligence and total emotional intelligence positively and significantly correlated with academic performance of students in chemistry (r = .321 - .537). Gender differences exist between the six emotional abilities and academic performance in chemistry with strong significant prediction among male students in all the six emotional abilities but not so among females. To better delineate the relationship between the emotional intelligence and academic performance, multiple regression using a stepwise method was performed. The results revealed that two key emotional abilities namely, emotional expression (EE) and utilization of emotion for problem solving (UEPS) were able to explain 30% of the variance in academic performance of students in chemistry. The study confirmed the results of the previous findings on the significant relationship between emotional intelligence and academic performance and proceeds further to provide an empirical evidence on dimensional influence of emotional intelligence on academic performance. Discussion was offered based on the findings and implication as well as direction for further research are briefly highlighted.
