EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE AND ADJUSTMENT TO BOARDING ENVIRONMENT OF SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN AKWA IBOM STATE NORTH WEST SENATORIAL DISTRICT, NIGERIA

Abstract

This study determined how emotional intelligence variables predict adjustment to boarding environment of secondary school students in Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial, Nigeria. Three research questions and three null hypotheses guided the study. Related literature was reviewed. The correlation research design was adopted for the study. The population of the study was all the 841 JSS 1 students in ten schools with functional boarding facilities in the District. A sample of 670 respondents was selected through multistage sampling technique “The National Health Service Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire” and” Students Adjustment to College Questionnaire” were adapted for the study. The reliability coefficients of 0.73 and 0.94 were obtained on the adapted NHSEIQ and SACQ respectively, using Cronbach Alpha statistical analysis. The instruments were face validated by experts, two from the Department of Guidance and Counselling and one from the Department of Psychological Foundations of Education. Data analysis was done using simple and multiple linear regression statistics and all hypotheses were tested at .05 level of significance. Results of the study revealed that emotional intelligence variables predicted adjustment of secondary school students to boarding environment individually and jointly. It was therefore recommended among others that in order to facilitate a seamless transition to the boarding environment, counsellors should make use of self-awareness assessment tools to gauge students' strengths and areas discover for improvement.