Аннотация:
Academic achievement and performance of students in higher education settings is
an integral part of learning process, however nowadays, the soft skills of future specialists
are not of small importance as well. Although, the Emotional Intelligence had been
recognized as an independent notion in the second part of twentieth century, still most
experts in the spheres of psychology, education and management find this area rather
ambiguous. There were several studies which had been focused on the relationship
between emotional intelligence and academic achievement before. However, few research
studies in this sphere had been conducted in Kazakhstan. Thus, there is a need for higher
education institutions to identify the significance of EI elements for students’ success
during the learning process. The study focuses on the link between emotional intelligence
and academic achievement among the Autonomous University and the Regional University
undergraduate students. The results of the study would contribute to higher education
system in Kazakhstan, as administrators, managers and faculty members may be provided
with the current emotional intelligence level of undergraduate students from two
institutions. Furthermore, other higher education institutions may use the findings of the
current research study in order to facilitate students’ emotional intelligence level inserting
related activities in their curricula.
This study employs a cross-sectional correlational design (Field, 2009; Mujis 2004;
Szafran, 2011). The purpose of the study was to identify the relationship between
emotional intelligence and academic achievement among undergraduate students. To
define the level of emotional intelligence, the ESAP (Emotional Skills Assessment
Process) questionnaire was employed to collect data, so that the research study was
focused on four main competencies: interpersonal, leadership, self-management and
intrapersonal. To obtain the information about students’ academic achievement, selfreported percentage had been used. The data had been collected in two Kazakhstani
universities. The sample consisted of 239 undergraduate students, 141 and 98
undergraduate from two universities (Regional and Autonomous) respectively. The sample
was recruited on non-probability basis, due to voluntary participation in the research study.
During the research study descriptive, inferential and correlational statistical analyses had
been employed. The Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) had been used to
make the statistical analyses of the collected data. The study presents the information on
the general emotional intelligence level of undergraduate students of two universities.
Similarly, the research study demonstrates the three levels of academic achievement of
students: high-, average- and lower-achieving and their correlation with emotional
intelligence competencies. Furthermore, the study explores students’ emotional
intelligence level differentiated by their age and gender.