This
paper investigates the relationship between Emotional Intelligence
(EI) and perceived stress among 31 male and 31 female management
students in a business school. Emotional Intelligence Test
(EIT) developed by Chadha and Perceived Stress Scale (PSS)
developed by Cohen, Kamarck and Mermelstein were used for
the study. Correlational analysis has proved that EI is negatively
correlated with perceived stress. t-test on the mean result
has revealed that there is no gender difference for EI and
perceived role stress among management students. The study
highlights the importance of EI for management students.
Emotional
Quotient (EQ) is the degree of awareness and skills required
to manage and balance emotions. It leads to success and long-term
happiness. EQ is used interchangeably with Emotional Intelligence
(EI). In simple terms, this can be defined as knowing
what feels good, what feels bad and how to transform from
the former to the latter. Unlike IQ, EQ/EI can be improved
throughout life. Goleman (1998) has defined EI in terms of
capacity to recognize one's own feelings and those of others,
enhancing self-motivation, managing one's own emotions, and
effectively handling other's emotions. Salovey and Mayer (1990)
defined EI as, "the verbal and non-verbal appraisal and
expression of emotion, the regulation of emotion in the self
and others, and the utilization of emotional content in problem
solving."
Stress
can be defined as a person-environment relationship (Folkman,
1984; Lazarus, 1966). Stress is a process, a sequence of events
that will lead to a particular end. According to McGrath (1970),
stress is the result of an imbalance between the physical
or psychological demands encountered and the response capability
of the individual, in case failure to meet the demands has
important implications for the individual. |
