Bridging Emotions and Achievement: The Role of Emotional and Social Intelligence in Higher Education Performance through Structural Equation Modelling Approach

Abstract

Academic performance reflects the degree to which students, educators, or institutions achieve their short- and long-term educational objectives. Among the various determinants of performance, emotional and social intelligence (ESI) has emerged as a critical factor within higher education. ESI contributes to students’ holistic development by enhancing their ability to manage emotions, build interpersonal relationships, and adapt to academic challenges. This study examines whether improvements in students’ emotional and social intelligence lead to enhanced academic performance in both online and traditional learning environments. Adopting a descriptive research design, data were collected through a structured questionnaire survey. The proposed hypotheses were empirically tested using structural equation modeling (SEM) to assess the impact of ESI on academic outcomes. The findings indicate a significant positive relationship between emotional and social intelligence and students’ academic performance, suggesting that higher levels of ESI contribute to improved educational outcomes across different modes of learning.