The Relationship between Emotional Intelligence, Perceived Stress and Academic Performance among Iranian High School Students

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to test the relationships between age, gender, and emotional intelligence, academic performance and perceived stress among high school students in Iran. For this purpose, 150 students were randomly selected among the high school students in Shahre-Rey, Iran. Emotional intelligence and perceived stress questionnaires were used. The results showed that emotional intelligence was significantly different by gender, with females evidencing higher EI than males. Females also reported slightly higher perceived stress, but the gender difference was not significant. Emotional intelligence evidenced a small amount accuracy in predicting GPA in the fall, but this dissipated in the spring. Emotional intelligence and age evidenced a small amount of accuracy in predicting perceived stress in the fall. However in the spring semester, emotional intelligence evidenced strong accuracy in predicting perceived stress.

In the fall 2013, as individuals better managed their own emotions GPA increased and perceived stress decreased. As individuals better managed others’ emotions GPA decreased. Females got higher AES scores then males, but no age differences were noted. In the Spring 2013 older individuals with higher AES scores, who better managed their own emotions evidenced lower perceived stress.