Higher emotional intelligence is related to lower test anxiety among students

Mohammad Ahmadpanah,1 Mohammadreza Keshavarz,1 Mohammad Haghighi,1 Leila Jahangard,1 Hafez Bajoghli,2 Dena Sadeghi Bahmani,3 Edith Holsboer-Trachsler,3 Serge Brand3,4 1Behavioral Disorders and Substances Abuse, Research Center, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran; 2Iranian Nationa...

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Main Authors: Ahmadpanah M, Keshavarz M, Haghighi M, Jahangard L, Bajoghli H, Sadeghi Bahmani D, Holsboer-Trachsler E, Brand S
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Dove Medical Press 2016-01-01
Series:Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.dovepress.com/higher-emotional-intelligence-is-related-to-lower-test-anxiety-among-s-peer-reviewed-fulltext-article-NDT
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author Ahmadpanah M
Keshavarz M
Haghighi M
Jahangard L
Bajoghli H
Sadeghi Bahmani D
Holsboer-Trachsler E
Brand S
author_facet Ahmadpanah M
Keshavarz M
Haghighi M
Jahangard L
Bajoghli H
Sadeghi Bahmani D
Holsboer-Trachsler E
Brand S
author_sort Ahmadpanah M
collection DOAJ
description Mohammad Ahmadpanah,1 Mohammadreza Keshavarz,1 Mohammad Haghighi,1 Leila Jahangard,1 Hafez Bajoghli,2 Dena Sadeghi Bahmani,3 Edith Holsboer-Trachsler,3 Serge Brand3,4 1Behavioral Disorders and Substances Abuse, Research Center, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran; 2Iranian National Center for Addiction Studies (INCAS), Iranian Institute for Reduction of High-Risk Behaviors, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; 3Psychiatric Clinics of the University of Basel, Center for Affective, Stress and Sleep Disorders, 4Department of Sport, Exercise and Health Science, Sport Science Section, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland Background: For students attending university courses, experiencing test anxiety (TA) dramatically impairs cognitive performance and success at exams. Whereas TA is a specific case of social phobia, emotional intelligence (EI) is an umbrella term covering interpersonal and intrapersonal skills, along with positive stress management, adaptability, and mood. In the present study, we tested the hypothesis that higher EI and lower TA are associated. Further, sex differences were explored.Method: During an exam week, a total of 200 university students completed questionnaires covering sociodemographic information, TA, and EI.Results: Higher scores on EI traits were associated with lower TA scores. Relative to male participants, female participants reported higher TA scores, but not EI scores. Intrapersonal and interpersonal skills and mood predicted low TA, while sex, stress management, and adaptability were excluded from the equation.Conclusion: The pattern of results suggests that efforts to improve intrapersonal and interpersonal skills, and mood might benefit students with high TA. Specifically, social commitment might counteract TA. Keywords: test anxiety, emotional intelligence, students, interpersonal skills, intrapersonal skills
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series Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment
spelling doaj-art-d44add3e00ec433286c8b133701b08ce2025-08-20T03:32:40ZengDove Medical PressNeuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment1178-20212016-01-01Volume 12Issue 113313625219Higher emotional intelligence is related to lower test anxiety among studentsAhmadpanah M0Keshavarz MHaghighi MJahangard LBajoghli HSadeghi Bahmani DHolsboer-Trachsler EBrand S1Psychiatry and clinical psychologyCenter for Affective, Stress and Sleep DisordersMohammad Ahmadpanah,1 Mohammadreza Keshavarz,1 Mohammad Haghighi,1 Leila Jahangard,1 Hafez Bajoghli,2 Dena Sadeghi Bahmani,3 Edith Holsboer-Trachsler,3 Serge Brand3,4 1Behavioral Disorders and Substances Abuse, Research Center, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran; 2Iranian National Center for Addiction Studies (INCAS), Iranian Institute for Reduction of High-Risk Behaviors, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; 3Psychiatric Clinics of the University of Basel, Center for Affective, Stress and Sleep Disorders, 4Department of Sport, Exercise and Health Science, Sport Science Section, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland Background: For students attending university courses, experiencing test anxiety (TA) dramatically impairs cognitive performance and success at exams. Whereas TA is a specific case of social phobia, emotional intelligence (EI) is an umbrella term covering interpersonal and intrapersonal skills, along with positive stress management, adaptability, and mood. In the present study, we tested the hypothesis that higher EI and lower TA are associated. Further, sex differences were explored.Method: During an exam week, a total of 200 university students completed questionnaires covering sociodemographic information, TA, and EI.Results: Higher scores on EI traits were associated with lower TA scores. Relative to male participants, female participants reported higher TA scores, but not EI scores. Intrapersonal and interpersonal skills and mood predicted low TA, while sex, stress management, and adaptability were excluded from the equation.Conclusion: The pattern of results suggests that efforts to improve intrapersonal and interpersonal skills, and mood might benefit students with high TA. Specifically, social commitment might counteract TA. Keywords: test anxiety, emotional intelligence, students, interpersonal skills, intrapersonal skillshttps://www.dovepress.com/higher-emotional-intelligence-is-related-to-lower-test-anxiety-among-s-peer-reviewed-fulltext-article-NDTTest anxietyemotional intelligencestudentsinterpersonal skillsintrapersonal skills.
spellingShingle Ahmadpanah M
Keshavarz M
Haghighi M
Jahangard L
Bajoghli H
Sadeghi Bahmani D
Holsboer-Trachsler E
Brand S
Higher emotional intelligence is related to lower test anxiety among students
Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment
Test anxiety
emotional intelligence
students
interpersonal skills
intrapersonal skills.
title Higher emotional intelligence is related to lower test anxiety among students
title_full Higher emotional intelligence is related to lower test anxiety among students
title_fullStr Higher emotional intelligence is related to lower test anxiety among students
title_full_unstemmed Higher emotional intelligence is related to lower test anxiety among students
title_short Higher emotional intelligence is related to lower test anxiety among students
title_sort higher emotional intelligence is related to lower test anxiety among students
topic Test anxiety
emotional intelligence
students
interpersonal skills
intrapersonal skills.
url https://www.dovepress.com/higher-emotional-intelligence-is-related-to-lower-test-anxiety-among-s-peer-reviewed-fulltext-article-NDT
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