EMBAR

Author:
Ezichi Emmanuel Egbule ,Chinyere F. Okafor, Blessing C. Anakpua
Department of Science Education, Faculty of Education, Alex Ekwueme Federal University Ndufu-Alike, Ikwo, Ebonyi State, Nigeria1

DOI: doi.org/10.58924/rjhss.v5.iss2.p1

Published Date: 20-Apr, 2026

Keywords: Emotional Intelligence, Self-Awareness, Self-Regulation, Mathematics Achievement, Secondary School Students

Abstract:
This study investigated emotional intelligence as a predictor of secondary school students’ achievement in mathematics in Imo State, Nigeria, with specific focus on self-awareness and self-regulation. The study adopted a correlational research design. The population of the study comprised all 32,368 Senior Secondary Two (SSII) students in public secondary schools in Imo State, Nigeria. A sample size of 324 SSII students drawn using a multi-stage sampling procedure was used for the study. Two instruments were used for data collection: an Emotional Intelligence Scale measuring self-awareness and self-regulation, and a Mathematics Achievement Proforma (MAP). The instruments were validated by experts. The reliability coefficients for the EII were self-awareness (0.86), self-regulation (0.87) with an overall reliability coefficient of 0.89. Data collected were analyzed using both linear and multiple regression analysis to determine the predictive power of the independent variables on students’ achievement in mathematics.All the null hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level of significance using the p-values obtained from the regression analyses. The findings revealed that self-awareness accounted for 19.8% of the variance in students’ mathematics achievement, while self-regulation accounted for 22.3%, with both variables significantly predicting achievement. Furthermore, the combined influence of self-awareness and self-regulation explained 28.3% (R² = 0.283) of the variance in students’ mathematics achievement, indicating a significant joint predictive effect. The study concluded that emotional intelligence, particularly self-awareness and self-regulation, is a significant determinant of students’ academic performance in mathematics. It was recommended, among others, that emotional intelligence training should be integrated into the school curriculum and that teachers should adopt strategies that enhance students’ emotional competencies to improve academic outcomes

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