The Relationship between Emotional Intelligence and Academic Achievement among the Students of Trisakti University, Indonesia

Abstract

Background: Recognizing and strengthening emotional intelligence is useful in all members of society, especially students. By recognizing emotional intelligence and applying it, students can achieve more success in their career. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between emotional intelligence and academic achievement among students. Methods: A correlational study was performed on 100 students studying in clinical psychology at the School of Medicine, Trisakti University, Jakarta, Indonesia, in 2021. Bar-On test was used to evaluate the student’s emotional intelligence. Pearson correlation coefficient and independent t-test were used to analyze the research data with SPSS software. Results: There was a significant difference between the age variable with emotional intelligence (P < 0.05) and emotional intelligence with academic achievement (P < 0.01). In addition, the components of problem solving (r = 0.310, P = 0.002), stress tolerance (r = 0.291, P = 0.002), reality testing (r = 0.280, P = 0.004), interpersonal relationships (r = 0.217, P = 0.03), and optimism (r = 0.326, P = 0.005) had a significant relationship with the variable of age and the components of emotional Intelligence (r = 0.271, P = 0.005), independence of action (r = 0.187, P = 0.024), self-awareness (r = 0.283, P = 0.031), responsibility (r = 0.757, P = 0.042), and sympathy (r = 0.953, P = 0.034) with the academic achievement. Conclusion: In order to achieve high levels of academic achievement, students must be able to control emotions and affects in many ways; however, students cannot achieve their academic potential without reaching the components that make up emotional intelligence.

Keywords

• emotional intelligence
• academic achievement
• clinical psychology