Abstract
This study investigated the relationships among emotional intelligence (EI), relational engagement (RE), and cognitive outcomes (COs). A survey questionnaire containing 34 statements was completed by 338 undergraduate students from the four universities of China, with responses recorded on a 7-point Likert-type scale. The relationships were examined using the partial least squares structural equation modeling. The findings showed that EI influenced the COs directly and indirectly during the pandemic. In the forms of self-regulation (SR) and social skills (SS), the high levels of EI improved the COs of the students. Further, the aspects of EI, such as SR, self-awareness (SA), empathy (E), motivation (M), and SS were found to improve the RE of the students. The RE was positively correlated with the COs, indicating its potential for improving critical thinking among university students. Finally, the RE was a key mediator of the relationship between the EI and COs. It is concluded that the students with higher levels of EI and RE may achieve better COs. The implications of the research and suggestions for future studies are also discussed.
Highlights
The COVID-19 pandemic has reshaped the educational landscape worldwide with measures restricting the transmission of the virus such as lockdowns, working from home, and online education (Iqbal et al, 2021a)
It was motivated by the need to investigate how the strategies of China for coping with the COVID19 pandemic may have impacted the relationship among the emotional intelligence (EI), relational engagement (RE), and the cognitive outcomes (COs) of university students in the country
The findings have valuable implications for both educational practitioners and researchers. They highlight the need to attend to the relationships of EI, RE, and COs among the students in the context of China
Summary
The COVID-19 pandemic has reshaped the educational landscape worldwide with measures restricting the transmission of the virus such as lockdowns, working from home, and online education (Iqbal et al, 2021a). Emotional Intelligence for Cognitive Outcome emotional intelligence (EI) predicts such emotional reactions (Kaya et al, 2017) and contributed to the interest of the present study in investigating the EI and cognitive outcome (COs) during the pandemic. The exact role of each dimension of EI in improving the COs during the pandemic has not been investigated (Mitrovic Veljkovicet al., 2020). EI has been shown to predict relational engagement (RE), educational achievements, and work-related success, among the other positive COs (Cherry et al, 2018). On the assumption that EI is associated with RE and COs, the present study attempted to understand these relationships in greater depth. Participation in the study was entirely voluntary and informed consent was sought before the questionnaires were distributed. 400 questionnaires were distributed and completed by 382 participants, with a response rate of 95.5%.
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