EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE AND ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF ACCOUNTING STUDENTS IN THE UNIVERSITY OF BENIN

ABSTRACT

This study examines the relationship between emotional intelligence and the academic performance of accounting students at the University of Benin, Nigeria. The broad objective is to understand how various factors, including emotional intelligence, levels of academic performance, demographic background, and the teaching environment, influence the academic success of these students. The study employs a questionnaire-based survey method, targeting 260 full-time and part-time accounting students. The questionnaire was structured using a five-point Likert scale to capture responses accurately. A multiple linear regression model was developed to test four hypotheses: (1) There is no relationship between levels of academic performance among accounting students in Nigerian universities. (2) There is no relationship between emotional intelligence and accounting students’ academic performance in Nigerian universities. (3) There is no relationship between students’ demographic background and the academic performance of accounting students in Nigerian universities. (4) There is no relationship between the teaching environment and accounting students’ performance in Nigerian universities. Descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and regression analysis were employed to analyze the data. The findings revealed that emotional intelligence, levels of academic performance, demographic background, and the teaching environment significantly influence the academic performance of accounting students. Specifically, emotional intelligence and the teaching environment were found to have the strongest positive correlations with academic performance. The results underscore the importance of fostering emotional intelligence and optimizing the teaching environment to enhance academic outcomes. These findings align with existing literature, which highlights the critical role of emotional factors and supportive educational settings in student performance. In conclusion, this study provides valuable insights for educators and policymakers to improve the academic success of accounting students through targeted interventions focusing on emotional intelligence and conducive teaching environments. Future research should expand the scope to include multiple universities and longitudinal studies to further validate these findings.