Influence of Emotional Intelligence on Academic Performance

Abstract

Emotional intelligence (EI) is the ability to perceive, understand, regulate and use emotions in oneself and others. Research on EI suggests that it is associated with more pro-social behavior, better academic performance and improved empathy towards patients. In this article, we review some of the evidence that supports the link between EI and academic performance (AP) in different educational contexts and levels. We also discuss some of the challenges and limitations of EI research and practice, such as the lack of consensus on the definition and measurement of EI, the difficulty of establishing causal relationships between EI and AP, the variability of the effect sizes and moderators of EI and AP, and the generalizability and applicability of EI interventions. We also propose some future directions and recommendations for EI research and practice, such as adopting a more integrative and comprehensive approach to define and measure EI, designing and conducting more experimental and longitudinal studies to test the causal effects of EI on AP, exploring the variability and interactions of EI and AP across different contexts and groups, and evaluating the feasibility, acceptability, fidelity, sustainability, and scalability of EI interventions in educational settings. We hope that this article will stimulate more interest and attention to the role of EI in education, as well as more collaboration and integration among researchers, educators, practitioners, and policymakers in this field.