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ABSTRACT
Background
In contemporary higher education, understanding elements that contribute to the academic success of students has always been a subject of interest for researchers and has garnered significant attention. Emotional intelligence has emerged as a potential contributing factor to student’s academic performance and achievement. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between emotional intelligence and academic success of medical students within the context of a South African institution of higher learning.
Method
This study employed a quantitative research approach, where a cross-sectional, correlation research design was used. A sample of 169 participants were selected for the study, where 67 participants were male, and 107 participants were female. The Schutte Emotional Intelligence Test (SSEIT) was used to measure the EI of participants, while their academic success was evaluated using their cumulative grade point average.
Result
Emotional intelligence was significantly correlated with academic success, with a correlation coefficient of 0.79.
Conclusion
The results indicated that higher emotional intelligence levels were associated with better academic performance among first-year medical students in South Africa.