COPING STRATEGIES AND EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE AMONG SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN CALABAR METROPOLIS, CROSS RIVER STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

This study was conducted to assess coping strategies and emotional intelligence among senior secondary school students in Calabar Metropolis, Cross River State, Nigeria. To achieve the purpose of the study, two research questions and two research hypotheses were posed and formulated respectively to guide the study. The research design adopted for this study was correctional survey research design. The population of the study consists of 3250 senior secondary school students two (SS 2) in Calabar Metropolis. The simple random sampling technique was used for selecting one hundred (100) SS 2 students from five (5) public secondary schools for the study. The instruments used for data collection were a 10-items questionnaire named ‘Coping Strategies and Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire (CSEIQ) constructed by the researchers. The questionnaire was validated by two experts in Tests and Measurement unit of Educational Foundations Department, University of Calabar. The Pearson Product Moment Correlation (PPMC) was used as statistical tool to test the hypotheses. Each of the hypotheses was tested at .05 level of significance. The findings of the study revealed that there was significant relationship between time management, self-awareness and emotional intelligence among students in the study area. Based on the findings and conclusions of the study, it was recommended among others that students should be given orientation on how to manage their time; students should have the ability to maintain peace with others and be self-reliance in their studies. (Word Count: 199)