emotional intelligence, self-efficacy, psychological well-being and ...

European Journal of Educational Studies 2(3), 2010
affective variables influenced students’ achievement, behaviours and attitudes (Field, 2001; Khramtsova et al. 2007;
Lyubomirsky, 2001; Salami, 2004; Wong, Wong & Chau, 2001). Students who had high self-efficacy, high
emotional intelligence and who were happy were motivated to participate in relevant academic activities and
developed positive attitudes that led to success in college. That psychological well-being (depression, happiness and
life satisfaction) predicted students’ academic behaviours and attitudes- intrinsic motivation, self-discipline and
respect for lecturers- support the findings of previous researchers who reported similar results (Berrollo, 2003; Field,
2001; Fredrickson, 2002; Isen, 2003; Khramtsova et al. 2007; Lyubomirsky, 2001). Happy students with high
satisfaction scores were found to be flexible and efficient in problem solving and were more committed to their
academic goals and pursued success rather than focus on avoiding failure. They were more intrinsically motivated to
learn, had more self control over studying and had more respect for and appreciation to their lecturers. Depressed
students had been reported to have lower grade point averages and spent less time on their homework (Field, 2001).
Depressed students usually are less intrinsically motivated to learn, they lacked self control over their studies and
were not motivated to show respect for and appreciation to their lecturers.
The hypothesis that emotional intelligence will predict students’ behaviours and attitudes (intrinsic motivation, self
discipline and respect for lecturers) was supported by data from this study. Findings from this study reinforce prior
evidence linking emotional intelligence with students’ behaviours and attitudes (Salami, 2004; Salami &
Ogundokun, 2009; Tagliavia, Tripton, Giannetti & Mattei, 2006; Wong, Wong & Chau, 2001) by showing the
salutary effects of emotional intelligence on students’ attitudes. Students who had high emotional intelligence i.e.
could perceive and understand their own emotions and emotions of others and could manage their emotional
behaviour performed well in their academic work and developed more positive attitude toward learning. That selfefficacy
predicted students’ academic behaviours and attitudes corroborates the work of prior researchers who found
that self-efficacy was a predictor of students’ academic achievement, behaviour, study habits and attitude toward
learning (Faulkner & Reeves, 2009; Hagger, Chatzisarantis & Biddle, 2001; Yalcinalp, 2005, Schwarzer & Fuchs,
2009; Salami, 2004; Salami & Ogundokun, 2009). Students with high self-efficacy were likely to interpret academic
problems as opportunities to succeed and were thus eager to gain the skills necessary to go on to the next level to
solve any academic problem that might come their way. Such students were likely to perform well in their academic
work and to develop more positive attitude toward learning.
The hypotheses that emotional intelligence and self-efficacy will moderate the relationship between psychological
well-being (depression) and students’ behaviours and attitudes were confirmed by the data from this study. These
results can be explained on the basis that students who were stressed or depressed as a result of inability to meet
academic demands but had high self-efficacy and high emotional intelligence, showed intrinsic motivation, selfdiscipline
and appreciated their lecturers’ skills and efforts. Therefore, they developed an appropriate attitude toward
learning and participated in activities that could bring academic success.
Implications of the findings
Results from this study have implications for counselling practice and assessment. That emotional intelligence and
self-efficacy predicted students’ behaviours and attitudes- intrinsic motivation, self-discipline and respect for
lecturers demands that counselling psychologists and lecturers should focus on teaching emotional intelligence as a
strategy to develop academic behaviours and attitudes of students in tertiary educational institutions. When students
are educated to be emotionally and socially intelligent, their general performance can be improved.
Based on the findings from this study, it is feasible to enhance appropriate behaviours and attitudes of students, in
short, quality in education, by encouraging them (i) to be aware of their emotions (ii) manage their emotions (iii) use
emotions to motivate themselves (iv) develop interest (v) recognize the emotions of other people (vi) manage
relationship (vii) set and achieve personal goals and develop their potentials (viii) to be realistically positive and
optimistic. To achieve these objectives, counsellors and lecturers with the cooperation of college managements and
parents, should design appropriate intervention strategies to enhance the above mentioned emotional intelligence
and self-efficacy factors related to students’ behaviours and attitudes. Research is needed in this area to examine
what can achieve the best and most lasting effects for increasing emotional intelligence, self-efficacy and students’
behaviours and attitudes.
Because psychological well-being is a strong predictor of students’ behaviours and attitudes it demands that school
psychologists and counsellors should design intervention programmes to foster psychological well-being of students
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