Association between emotional intelligence and stress management skills among secondary school students: A cross sectional survey in northwestern Ethiopia

Abstract

Emotional intelligence (EI) remains seldom prioritized while it is hypothesized to associate with adolescent stress management skills which is known to impact learning through reduced cognitive functioning like memory, attention, and concentration. This study examines whether dimensions of emotional intelligence associate with stress management skills among school-age adolescents. Using a cross-sectional survey, data were collected from 371 randomly selected students in grades 9 to 12. Stress management skills were assessed using CSI-SF, a 16-item, rated on five-point Likert scale, which showed a Cronbach's alpha of 0.74. EI was measured using the Schutte Self-Report Emotional Intelligence Test, consisting of 33 items rated on a five-point Likert scale, with a Cronbach's alpha of 0.88. Pearson’s correlations examined associations between EI dimensions and stress management skills. An independent samples t-test analyzed gender differences across EI and stress management scores using SPSS version 26. Results indicated that the mean EI score for males (M = 132.6) was significantly higher than for females (M = 130.44) (p <0.05). Late adolescents exhibited a higher mean EI score (M = 146.26) compared to middle (M = 132.94) and early adolescents (M = 119.79) (p < 0.001). All dimensions of EI were significantly correlated with stress management skills. Both EI and stress management scores were similar across age and gender while both outcomes varied across age of the adolescents. Future interventions should enhance motivational regulation, social awareness, and relationship dimensions of EI to improve stress management among adolescents.