Level of Emotional Intelligence Among School Adolescents of Kakching District, Manipur

INTRODUCTION

Adolescence is a transitional phase from childhood to adulthood Hall (1904). It involves rapid psychological changes, maximum physical and mental growth and development. This period is also characterized by emotional and behavioural disorder, mood swings and often conflict with parents. Dealing with such significant changes for the adolescents during this period requires a lot of emotional awareness, strength and stability, which can be induced by educating these young adults about self-regulating their emotions in connection with their day to day life situations and challenges.

It may sound exacerbated by the fact that they can experienced increased anxiety, depression, loneliness and sometimes literally isolate themselves due to the problems with self-awareness and empathy, often leading to conflict, poor relationship and difficulty managing stress. Imparting adolescence the emotional skills to handle these emotions becomes significant to enable them to meet life’s challenges by enhancing their psychosocial competencies. Lea et al. (2019) stated that emotional intelligence (EI) refers to adaptable emotional qualities, skills and abilities. Such skills will help them to make the right choices, respond logically, choose a better career path, take up challenges and enjoy a healthy state of mind and a successful life.

The face of the modern world has drastically changed and how the adolescents are experiencing life is of great significance. With the rapid shift in socio-cultural and economic paradigm due to globalization and fast technological advancement, the adolescent’s lives have become very complex.

Moreover, such a rapid change has accelerated pressure on the young minds to keep up with the pace of the globalized society. Goleman in his book describes the basic emotions possessed by all cultures in the world that can be understood as a characteristic of the emotions of various individuals. They are scared, angry, sad and happy feelings Goleman (2007). Such obligations have given rise to their emotional fluctuations and behavioural imbalances. Thus, teaching them the ability to regulate their emotions, build healthy relationship and establish interpersonal communication becomes very crucial. Emotions are an encouragement to act, and a tendency to do things. Therefore, awareness of the five competencies of emotional intelligence as outlined by David Goleman such as self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy and social skills becomes the outmost importance.

Significance of the Study

In adolescence emotion and emotional intelligence are deeply integrated to one another, due to which “awareness of emotional intelligence becomes very crucial for adolescence as it helps to guide and regulate emotions, equip them with the skills to handle and identity information, manage stress, build healthy relationship, achieve academic and life success. As rightly said, Emotional intelligence is the ability to monitor one’s own emotions and other emotion, to discriminate among them and to use the information to guide one’s own thinking and actions Mayer and Salovey (1997).

Adolescents face lots of stress and strain and often accompanied by fluctuating mood swings. Higher secondary school stage is at the peak stage of adolescence period where they face lots of academic pressure, peer pressure, anxiousness and imbalance in their emotional well being. EI is one such factor that is instrumental in situations that can call upon students to adjust happily from one environment to another, Hettich (2000). Therefore the investigator attempts to study the emotional intelligence of Higher Secondary Students so as to enhance the level of emotional competency which would help them in solving problems and regulating their behaviour in their daily lives.

Objectives of the Study

1) To study the level of emotional intelligence among school adolescents in Kakching District, Manipur.

2) To find out the difference between the emotional intelligence of boys and girls among school adolescents under study.

3) To find out the difference between the emotional intelligence of nuclear and joint family among school adolescents under study.

Hypotheses of the study

· There is no significant difference between the emotional intelligence of boys and girls among school adolescents under study.

· There is no significant difference between the emotional intelligence of nuclear and joint family among school adolescents under study.

Methodology of the Study

A descriptive research method was used for the present study. The population of the present study includes all the Higher Secondary Schools in Kakching District, Manipur. There are 9 Higher Secondary Schools in Kakching District, Manipur. The study consists of 200 school adolescents.

Sample and Sampling Techniques

The target sample was of 11th and 12^th standard school adolescent’s students of Kakching District, Manipur. A random sample of 200 students are selected from 4 Government and 3 Private schools was taken in the present study

Tools Used in the Study

To study the emotional intelligence, the researcher used a standardized “Emotional Intelligence scale” developed by Dr. Arun Kumar and Dr.Shruti Narain, meant for age group of 12 years and above. The scale consists of 31 questions with “yes” or “no” options. A score of +1 and 0 was given.

Statistical Techniques used

To analyze the collected data, the investigator used percentage analysis and statistical techniques like Descriptive Analysis (Mean, standard Deviation) and Differential Analysis (t-test) were used in the present study.

Results and Discussion

Table 1

Table 1 Percentage Analysis of Levels of Emotional Intelligence of the Study Sample (N=200)
Levels of Emotional Intelligence	Frequency	Percentage
High	67	33.50%
Average	102	51%
low	31	15.50%
Total	200	100%

The above Table 1 showed the frequencies and percentage of levels of emotional intelligence of the study samples. Out of the 200 study samples, 51% respondents were having average levels of emotional intelligence and 33.5% were having high levels of emotional intelligence and the remaining samples i.e., 15.5% were having low emotional intelligence. The findings revealed that the level of emotional intelligence among school adolescents in Kakching District, Manipur was found to be average.

Table 2

Table 2 Mean Scores of Level of Emotional Intelligence between Boys and Girls among School Going Adolescents
Gender	N	Mean	Std. D	t-test	df	Sig
Boys	115	20.25	3.76	4.45	190	0.001
Girls	85	22.48	3.30

The above table revealed the difference between mean scores of school going adolescent boys and girls on levels of emotional intelligence. The girls scored significantly higher in emotional intelligence as compared to boys in the sample. The t-value (4.45) were significant at .001 levels.

Therefore, the null hypotheses “There is no significant difference between the emotional intelligence of boys and girls among school adolescents” is rejected. This may be due to the fact that girls are often found to have higher empathy and better interpersonal skills and emotional management as back by many research studies. Studies have shown gender differences in emotional intelligence, with females scoring higher on empathy related components Bar-On et al. (2000). The results of a study indicate that female students exhibit significantly higher levels of self awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy and social skills compared to male counterparts Zuri and Ghani (2015). In a cross –sectional survey of 80 senior secondary students (40girls, 40 boys) in Patiala (Pnjab, India), EI measured with the Schutte Emotional Intelligence Scale Schutte et al. (1998) showed that girls had a significantly higher mean EI scores than boys Kaur (2022). Another study conducted among Secondary and Higher Secondary school students (30 boys and 30 girls) and 60 from higher Secondary 930girls and 30 boys) in Ahmedabad city, showed girls showed higher level of emotional intelligence compared to secondary and higher secondary boys. Niru and Khati (2023).

Table 3

Table 3 Mean Score Between the Emotional Intelligence of Nuclear and Joint Family Among School Adolescents.
Family type	N	Mean	Std.D	t-test	d.f	Sig
Nuclear	111	20.22	3.79	5.08	195	0.001
Joint	89	22.96	3.91

The above table shows the mean score between the emotional intelligence of nuclear and joint family of school adolescents. The mean and SD of nuclear family is 20.22 and 3.79 respectively and the mean and SD of joint family is 22.96 and 3.91 and‘t’ value is 5.08. Adolescents from joint family scored higher in level of emotional intelligence than their

counterparts from nuclear family. Joint families often foster communication and collaboration among young adolescents which enhances interpersonal skills and empathy along with shared chores and responsibilities which help them in self-regulation, accountability and decision making abilities.

Therefore, the null hypotheses “There is no significant difference between the emotional intelligence of nuclear and joint among school adolescents” is rejected.

Findings of the Study

The following are the findings of the study.

1) The findings revealed that the level of emotional intelligence among school adolescents in Kakching District, Manipur was found to be average.

2) There is significant difference between boys and girls in their level of emotional intelligence. It is found that girl scored significantly higher in emotional intelligence as compared to boys.

3) There is significant difference between the emotional intelligence of nuclear and joint family among school adolescents. Adolescents from joint family scored higher in level of emotional intelligence than their counterparts from nuclear families.

Educational Implications

Emotional intelligence is a vital skill needed for present as well as future generation. It is essential for maintaining balance work life, manage stress, and balance personal and professional obligations and enhancing paramount success in life. It’s our moral responsibility to help develop the emotional intelligence among the young minds.

Educational policies and outreach programmes can be made to enhance student academic performance and their well-being by fostering self awareness, self-regulation, empathy and social skills. Immense awareness training and follow up can be made in institutional levels to assist these groups either with the help of school counsellors, psychologist and mental health experts.As mentioned in NEP 2020 and the importance of social and emotional learning (SEL) into curriculum, creating a facilitative learning environment to handle stress, build strong relationship, resolve conflicts and develop resilience preparing them for life beyond the classroom is the need of the hour.

Conclusion

Human emotions are so powerful. It can either stabilise or destroy if not utilized cautiously. Emotions are neither positive nor negative but the indicator of our internal state, needs and experiences which ultimately helps us to understand ourselves. Most adolescents are guided by strong fluctuating emotions in their everyday’s lives and they need to learn to monitor it. Anger is a protective emotion and thus they react to confront their emotions. Parents, teachers, stakeholders can play an active role in helping to regulate these emotions. We need to make the adolescent understand how to respond back to those emotions without affecting their psychosocial domains.

Schools can also conduct awareness programmes so as to improve on emotional intelligence and how to take care of one’s emotional well being by inviting eminent experts, counsellors and therapists. Teachers can also help assess the level of emotional intelligent of their students by using various tools and techniques in and outside the classroom context so to enhance their emotional skills through reflective practices. Educational institutions can include yoga, meditation, social and emotional learning (SEL), experiential learning that foster empathy and social skills and engaging in collaborative skills to inculcate emotional well-being from time to time.

Finally, we need to make the adolescents realise that although we cannot completely stop the happenings of these hormonal fluctuations. However, they can be monitored, reduced and enhanced and tamed with right and well balanced practice to develop into a responsible and effective member of a society.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

None.

REFERENCES

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