Emotional Intelligence (EI), Adjustment And Academic Performance Among Asasipintar Students

Abstract

Emotional intelligence (EI) is the capability of individuals to recognize their own, and other people’s emotions, to discern between different feelings and label them appropriately, to use emotional information to guide thinking and behaviour, and to manage and/or adjust emotions to adapt environments or achieve one’s goals. Adjustment can be defined as a process of altering one’s behaviour to reach a harmonious relationship with their environment. This study is conducted to find out (1) level of Emotional Intelligence, (2) Level of Adjustment, (3) the relationship between (a) emotional intelligence and adjustment; (b) emotional Intelligence and academic performance; and (c) adjustment and academic performance among ASASIpintar student. A sample of 105 both boys and girls were collected from ASASIpintar, UKM by random sampling technique. This study is conducted in The National Gifted Centre, UKM. Student Adaptation to College (SATC), and Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire by Belinda, and Semester 1 results of ASASIpintar student is used to collect data. Result of this study is there will be a significant relationship between emotional intelligence and adjustment. Level of Emotional Intelligence and Adjustment of Asasi Pintar Student is high.

Keywords: Academic PerformanceadjustmentASASIpintar studentemotional intelligence

Introduction

Students in present competitive age are involved in the ambition to get more and more than others. The most important matter is the striking desire to make adjustment with environment. The perfect adjustment with the environment is the indicator the successful academic performance. To make the life meaningful, the individual has to make constant attempts to make adjustment in every field of life. In making continuous attempts to adjust in the constantly changing environment, the individual has change his self or after his environment. Emotional Intelligence was hypothesized to be a factor in successful life adjustment, among them the successful achievement of a well-balanced life with little interference between work, family, leisure and academic performance. Emotional intelligence is directly correlate to each other. Emotional intelligence (EI) is the capability of individuals to recognize their own, and other people’s emotions, to discern between different feelings and label them appropriately, to use emotional information to guide thinking and behavior, and to manage and/or adjust emotions to adapt environments or achieve one’s goals (Goleman, 1998). Emotional Intelligence has been found to be a predictor of life satisfaction, healthy psychological adaptation, positive interactions with peers and family, and higher parental warmth. Lower emotional intelligence has also been found to be associated with violent behavior, illegal use of drugs and alcohol, and participation in delinquent behavior. Five characteristics of emotional intelligence is self-awareness, self-motivation, empathy, mood management and managing relationship.

Students live on confusing time where they have to balance well their personal life and studies in order to excel in academic. Students are facing a lot of complexities in their life. A person makes a lot of adjustment and strives hard to cope with stress anxiety. Adjustment is the main part of student’s life. Living is a process of adjustment and it is a process of unique importance in human life. It is a satisfactory and harmonious relationship of an organism to its environment. Thus, the term adjustment may be defined as, ―The process of finding and adopting modes of behavior, that is suitable to the environment of to the changes in the environment. In previous study by Sawney & Kaur (2016), result of the study indicates no significant difference in the emotional intelligence and adjustment of boys and girls of secondary school but significant relationship was found in the emotional intelligence and adjustment of both boys and girls of secondary schools. This research is conducted to study the effect of EQ towards adjustment and academic performance among students.

Problem Statement

Past research has shown that various aspects of the student who became an impediment to the process of adjustment. One of the challenge is the challenge of the environment. Challenges that affect the emotional adjustment is a change of life situation is staying home to a college or University can affect the formation of self-concept and likely negative behavior difficile. Past research shows the most critical transition process for final junior was a change from his childhood home to College. The process of transition from an environment that becomes a habit to foreign places, for example than staying in the small town and moved to big cities, than staying with a family full of feeling secure.

Research Questions

This study is based on the questions below:

• What is the EQ level of ASASIpintar students?

• What is the EQ level of ASASIpintar students based on the EQ sub component?

• What is the adjustment level of ASASIpintar students?

• What is the relationship of adjustment towards emotional intelligence?

• What is the relationship between adjustment and main component of EQ

• What is the effect of adjustment towards academic performance?

• What is the effect of emotional intelligence towards academic performance?

Purpose of the Study

H1. There is a significant relationship between adjustment and emotional intelligence.

H2. There is a significant relationship between adjustment and main component of emotional intelligence.

H3. There is a significant relationship between adjustment and academic performance.

H4. There is a significant relationship between emotional intelligence and academic performance.

Theoretical Framework

This study is based on two theories. For emotional intelligence, this study is based on the model of emotional intelligence developed by Goleman (1998). The emotional intelligence theory of Goleman (1998) has five main components that measure emotional intelligence:

a) Self-awareness. It is the ability of an individual to realize and understand the emotions of himself in any situation. Therefore, they can choose priorities in making decisions and making a realistic assessment of their self-esteem and self-esteem.

b) Self-control. It is the skill of managing emotions such as anger, fear, sadness and extreme worries in an appropriate and balanced way and able to form self-esteem. Therefore, the individual is quick to recover from any emotional stress.

c) Self-Motivation. Individuals use the main purpose of the heart in mobilizing and guiding one's direction in achieving goals and helping in taking the initiative and working hard to improve and remain steadfast when faced with problems and frustration.

d) Social Skills. Individuals with high social skills can develop relationships or friendships with others, communicate well, negotiate and resolve relationships with other people.

e) Empathy. Individuals have empathy skills capable of detecting other people’s feelings, understanding other people’s perspectives, nurturing intimacy and being able to build compatibility with individuals from diverse backgrounds.

The adjustment study is based on the Student Adaptation to College (SACQ) model by Baker & Siryk (1984) which measures components related to the ability of students to adapt to the academic, social, emotional and commitment aspects of the institution.

a) Academic adjustment. It is the ability of students to adapt to all student commitments in terms of assignment, learning environment and motivation to achieve high academic scores.

b) Social Adjustment. Social adjustment is the ability of students to make connections in campus life. High social adjustments show students capable of interacting with fellow colleagues, lecturers, being able to stay away from family and able to cope with new challenges and new campus experience.

c) Emotional adjustment. Emotional adjustment demonstrates the ability of students to overcome all the challenges of life without being stressed and able to handle emotions well. In other words, all the problems that arise are received with a wide-open mind and try to find the best solution.

d) Commitment / Incorporation to the institution. It means how far the student has a commitment to achieving the goal or direction as long as they gain knowledge in their institution of study. Students with high commitment can clearly understand the vision and mission of their learning institution and clearly understand the goals of the participating learning courses. They will work hard to achieve academic excellence in order to bring their own names and institutions to life.

Research Methods

Findings

Conclusion

The results show that the level of adjustment among ASASIpintar students are at a high level with mean value (5.39). The results were found to be correlate with the results of Tengku Elmi Azlina among the National of Talented and Gifted Students of Permata PIntar Negara. However, the study found contradicted with the study carried out by Hetal & Petal (2013) where findings show 35.98% of level adjustment is a simple level. Emotional quotient level of ASASIpintar also as a whole are at high level with mean value of 3.72 and the findings contradicted to the findings from Hetal & Petal (2013), Mamat (2016). Emotional quotient level of ASASIpintar students found is correlated with the findings of Talib, Shafie, Alias, & Ab Halim (2012) and Che Ani (2013).

The findings also showed there was correlation between the emotional Intelligence with adjustment with significant value 0.000 (P<0.05). Result also shows that there is a significant relationship between adjustment and main components of emotional intelligence which is Social Skills, Self-Motivation, Self-Awareness, Self-Regulation and Social Awareness.

Based on the results of the study they are available in line with the findings of Sawney & Kaur (2016) and Kar, Saha, & Mondal (2016), overall the findings related to emotional intelligence among ASASIpintar students prove that emotional intelligence has a relationship with adjustment. Findings related to the main components and sub component proved that most ASASIpintar students have a high level of emotional intelligence thus helping them adapt to the learning environment in the National talented and gifted center, Pusat Permata Pintar Negara. Supports from either of parents, lecturers and friends helped increase the emotional intelligence of ASASIpintar students so that they are able to make adjustment during undergoing learning in college. A high level of emotional intelligence help enhance the process of adjustment thus affect their academic performance.

References

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