The paper titled "Emotional Intelligence and Its Relationship to Academic Performance among Saudi EFL Undergraduates" by Wafa Ismail Saud primarily focuses on examining the emotional intelligence levels of Saudi EFL (English as a Foreign Language) undergraduate students and its impact on their academic performance in the English language. The study seeks to identify whether higher levels of emotional intelligence among these students correlate with better academic achievement.
The purpose of the study is to determine the emotional intelligence levels of Saudi undergraduate students in the English Department at King Khalid University and to assess whether these levels influence their academic success in English language learning. The research aims to fill a gap in the existing literature by exploring the affective domain in language learning, particularly the role emotional intelligence plays in enhancing students' educational outcomes.
The methodology employed in this study includes the Schutte Self-Report Emotional Intelligence Test (SSEIT) to assess emotional intelligence levels, and an English language achievement test to measure academic performance. A total of 80 fourth-year students, aged 22 to 26, from the English Department at King Khalid University participated in the study. The data collected from the SSEIT were analyzed using descriptive and comparative statistics to explore the relationship between emotional intelligence and academic performance.
Key findings from the study indicate that Saudi EFL students generally exhibit a high level of emotional intelligence, with particular strengths in "Utilization of Emotion" and "Management of Others' Emotions." The results also show a positive correlation between higher emotional intelligence and better academic performance in English. Specifically, students who scored higher in emotional intelligence subscales such as "Utilization of Emotion" and "Management of Others' Emotions" tended to achieve better grades in their English language courses.
The study concludes that emotional intelligence plays a significant role in the academic success of Saudi EFL students. The findings suggest that students with higher emotional intelligence are more adept at managing their own emotions and those of others, which contributes to their academic achievements. The study recommends that educational practitioners and policymakers incorporate emotional intelligence training into university curricula to enhance students' academic performance. Further research is encouraged to explore the interaction between students' and teachers' emotional intelligence and its impact on learning outcomes.