EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE OF HUE UNIVERSITY STUDENTS

Abstract

Youth is the early period of adulthood and at a high risk of emotional vulnerability that can lead to mental illness. Literature has shown that emotional intelligence (EI) can reduce mental health problems among youth. Evidence has shown that about three million Vietnamese young people are experiencing mental health problems, but only 20% of them received necessary medical assistance and treatment. This study investigates EI among Vietnamese youth to promote effective and practical solutions to improve young people's mental health and emotional capacity in Vietnam. This is a cross-sectional school-based study using the Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire-Short Form (TEIQue-SF) to assess emotional intelligence of students at Hue University. The findings reveal that students at Hue University had relatively high EI with good ability in well-being, self-control emotions, and building relationship with others. Maintaining relationships and reacting appropriately to others' feelings were the lowest ability. Students at the University of Education had better EI than those at other university institutes due to some EI aspects of the educational curriculum. Males were better than females in Self-control. There was no difference in EI between students from rural and urban areas. These findings suggest that the EI development program should be included in the education program for undergraduate students and focus on developingemotionality.