Authors: Rose Ngondi1, Lincoln Khasakhala 2and Philemon Yugi 3
1Department of Counseling Psychology, Daystar University
P.O Box 44400 -00100, Nairobi – Kenya
Email: rosekngondi@gmail.com
2Department of Psychiatric, University of Nairobi
P.O Box 19676 -00202, Nairobi – Kenya
Email: Lincoln.khasakhala@uonbi.ac.ke
3Department of Development Studies, Daystar University
P.O Box 44400-00100, Nairobi – Kenya
Email: pyugi@daystar.ac.ke
Abstract
Emotions play a critical role in human behavior, they steer human beings, satisfy daily needs and orient human abilities and decision-making process. Emotional intelligence is therefore, very important as it equips individuals with skills necessary to negotiate through life successfully. Numerous studies in Kenya have delved into demographic characteristics affecting academic performance among secondary school students. However, there is paucity of literature on the role of emotional intelligence on academic performance. The purpose of the present study was to examine the relationship between emotional intelligence and academic performance among adolescents in secondary schools within 13-18 years. Purposive, simple and systematic sampling were used to select four secondary schools and 120 participants. A quantitative research approach was used. BarOn Emotional Quotient Inventory-Youth version (BarOn EQ-i: YV) was used to measure emotional intelligence. Correlation analysis was used and results indicated a positive correlation between emotional intelligence and academic performance. There was a significant correlation between adaptability skills and academic performance. Collectively, these results infer that better academic performance might be realized by targeting skills relating to adaptability, which is a dimension of emotional intelligence. As such, the ministry of education should mainstream emotional intelligence training programs in secondary school curriculum.
Keywords: Emotional Intelligence, academic performance and adaptability skill
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Suggested Citation (APA):
Ngondi, R., Khasakhala, L., & Yugi, P. (2020). Relationship between emotional intelligence and academic performance among secondary school students in Athi-River Sub County, Kenya. Journal of Education in Developing Countries, 1(1), 2020. Available online at http://writersbureau.net/journals/jede/relationship-between-emotional-intelligence-and-academic-performance-among-secondary-school-students-in-athi-river-sub-county-kenya.pdf
