A Study on the Relationship between Emotional Intelligence and Adolecent Psychopathology in the Senior School Students of Assam

Abstract

The present study aims to investigate emotional intelligence and adolescent psychopathology in the senior school students of Assam and to explore if any relationship exists between the variables emotional intelligence and adolescent psychopathology. The total sample size comprised of 1900 male and female students taken from curricula following only national boards i.e. CBSE and ICSE of selected residential and day schools of three zones of Assam (i.e. Upper Assam, Central Assam and lower Assam). The sample size was kept free and comprised of all the students from class 9-10 (Group 1) and 11-12 (Group 2) of the selected schools. Out of the total sample of 1900 students, N=926 for residential schools of Assam and for day schools of Assam N=974. Emotional Intelligence (EI) was measured by Emotional Intelligence Scale (EIS) and adolescent psychopathology was measured by Adolescent Psychopathology Scale Short Form (APS-SF). Results revealed that residential school students showed higher and better EI levels than the students of day schools. Female students as a whole showed higher and better EI levels than male students as a whole. Group 2 (class 11-12) students showed higher and better EI levels than Group 1 (class 9-10) students of residential and day schools. Males as a whole showed greater psychopathologies than females as a whole. All groups of male students show elevated scores on eating disorder. Residential school males, although having higher and better EI levels showed similar levels of psychopathologies as the day school males. Although EI is progressing with age, psychopathological profile is more or less the same for both groups of males. Female groups are also progressing with age in EI, but their psychopathological profile shows absence of psychopathology. Keywords; Adolescence, Adolescent Psychopathology, Day school, Emotional Intelligence, Residential school.