The influence of personality traits and academic achievement on emotional intelligence of residential secondary school in Malaysia

Abstract

This research investigated the relationships between personality traits, emotional intelligence and academic achievements among 127 students in a Residential Secondary School in Malaysia. Eysenck Personality Questionnaire – Revised (EPQ-R) was used to measure the three dimensions of personality traits – extraversion, neuroticism, psychoticism; Emotional Intelligence Scale (EIS) was used to measure emotional intelligence and students’ academic achievement was measured by Grade Point Average (GPA) from their Trial Examination. Bivariate analysis using Pearson Correlation method indicated that extraversion (r=.497, p<.05) were positively and significantly correlated with academic achievement. Neuroticism (r= -.61, p>.05) and psychoticism (r= -.61, p>.05) was found negatively and significantly associated with academic achievement. Future researches are recommended to employ Structural Equation Modelling analysis to determine how both personality traits and emotional intelligence have an impact on academic achievement.