Does Emotional Intelligence Influence Academic Performance? The Role of Compassion and Engagement in Education for Sustainable Development

Marta Estrada, Diego Monferrer, Alma Rodríguez and Miguel Ángel Moliner
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Marta Estrada: Department of Business Administration and Marketing, Jaume I University, 12071 Castellón de la Plana, Spain
Diego Monferrer: Department of Business Administration and Marketing, Jaume I University, 12071 Castellón de la Plana, Spain
Alma Rodríguez: Department of Business Administration and Marketing, Jaume I University, 12071 Castellón de la Plana, Spain
Miguel Ángel Moliner: Department of Business Administration and Marketing, Jaume I University, 12071 Castellón de la Plana, Spain

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 4, 1-18

Abstract: Education must guide students’ emotional development, not only to improve their skills and help them achieve their maximum performance, but to establish the foundations of a more cooperative and compassionate society. Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, therefore, implies focusing on emotional aspects as well as financial, social, environmental, and scientific objectives. In this line, the goal of this study is to show how emotional intelligence, which is an essential dimension in the development and management of emotional competences required to build sustainable societies, plays a key role in optimising student’s academic performance in the classroom through compassion and academic commitment. The research model was tested with a questionnaire addressed to 550 students from four higher education institutions and one secondary school. The results of a structural equation analysis confirmed the study hypotheses. Emotional intelligence was shown to be positively related to compassion and higher levels of commitment, which, consequently, led to better academic performance. This finding will encourage interest in developing emotional intelligence, not only for its long-term value in training healthy citizens, but also for its short-term results in the classroom.

Keywords: education for sustainable development; emotional intelligence; compassion; engagement; academic performance (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (8)

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