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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 252
European Journal of Educational Studies 2(3), 2010 and use them to enhance students’ behaviours and attitudes thereby improving quality of education. In conclusion, the study has shown that emotional intelligence, self-efficacy, happiness and life satisfaction predict students’ behaviours and attitudes beyond depression. Also emotional intelligence and self-efficacy moderated the relationship between depression and students’ behaviours and attitudes. REFERENCES Adeyemo, D.A.& Adeleye, A.T. 2008. Emotional intelligence, religiosity and self-efficacy as predictors of psychological well-being among secondary school adolescents in Ogbomoso, Nigeria. Europes Journal of Psychology February, 2005. Bandura, A. 1997. Self-efficacy: The exercise of control. New York, NY: Freeman. Bandura, A; Capprara, G.V, Barbaranelli, C; Gerbino, M. & Pasorelli, C. 2003. Role of affective self-regulatory efficacy in diverse spheres of psychological functioning. Child Development, 74: 769--782. Bar-On, R. 1997. Emotional Quotient Inventory: Technical Manual,Toronto: Multi Health Systems. Bar-On, R. 2005. The impact of emotional intelligence on subjective well-being Perspectives in Education 23(2): 41--62. Berrollo, A. 2005. Subjective well-being and student success among college students Doctoral dissertation, Capella University, 2005. Dissertation Abstracts International, 66, 2810. Crompton, W.C. 2005. An introduction to positive psychology, Belmont, CA: Thomson Wadsworth. Dwyer, A.L. & Cummings, A.L 2001. Stress, self-efficacy, social support and coping strategies in University Students. Canadian Journal of Counselling, 35 (3): 208--220. Erez, A. & Isen, A.M.2002. The influence of positive affect on the components of expectancy motivation. Journal of Applied Psychology, 87: 1055--1067. Faulkner, G. & Reeves, C. 2009. Primary school student teachers’ physical self-perceptions and attitudes towards teaching physical education. Retrieved September 14, 2009 from Http://www. Cbabstracts.plus.org/abstracts/Abstract.aspxAcno=20001810334. Field, T. 2001. Adolescent depression and risk factors. Adolescence, 36: 491--498. Frisch, M.B; Clark, M.P, Rouse, S.V; Rudd, M.D; Paweleck, J. k. & Greenstone, A. 2005. Predictive and treatment validity of life satisfaction and the quality of life inventory. Assessment, 12: 66--78 Furnham, A & Pertrides, K.V 2003. Trait emotional intelligence: Behavioural validation in two studies of emotion, recognition and reactivity to mood induction. European Journal of Personality, 17: 39--57. Hagger, M. S., Chatzisarantis, N. & Biddle, S. J. H. 2001. The influence of self-efficacy and past behaviour on the physical activity intensions of young people. Journal of Sports Sciences, 19(9): 711--725. Illiin, P. 2000 Motivatsia y motivy (Motivation and motives). Peterburg: Piter. Imonikebe, B.U. 2009. Strategies for promoting the nutritional and health status of students in higher institution of learning in Nigeria for sustainable national development. Paper presented at the fourth regional conference of higher education for sustainable development in Africa. Organized by HERPNET in collaboration with Kampala International University, Kampala, Uganda. August 17 th -20 th , 2009. 253
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