Authors
Abstract
Background and Purpose: The theory of Emotional Intelligence brings a new perspective on predicting factors influencing success as well as basic prevention of mental disorders. Evidences indicate that emotionally expert persons are distinctive in all areas. As students are prospective architects of the society, this study was intended to evaluate the relationship between emotional intelligence and general health in university students.
Methods and Materials: This descriptive research involved the statistical population of male and female undergraduate students at Sabzevar Teacher Training University, enrolled for the second semester of 2003-2004. Through successive sampling, 230 students were selected as the study sample. A researcher-made demographic questionnaire, a general health questionnaire and Mayer's Emotional Intelligence questionnaire were used for data collection. The obtained were analyzed using Pearson Correlation Coefficient, Determination Coefficient, simple Regression, Multiple Regression by step-by-step method, Hest and multi-variate ANOVA.
Results: The correlation between emotional intelligence and general health came up to be- 0.68. In other words, emotional intelligence can predict 46% of changes in general health. ANOVA results indicated that emotional repair was the best predictor of general health. Also, it was revealed that female students were of higher emotional intelligence; accordingly, male students enjoyed a better general health than female students.
Conclusion: Emotional intelligence is one of the promoting factors of general health and as well as a preventive factor in mental disorders. Therefore, emotional intelligence instruction is suggested to promote general health.
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