Investigating The Relationship Between Emotional Intelligence and Academic Adjustment in Midwifery Students

Given the importance of academic adjustment in academic success, it seems necessary to identify the factors related to adjustment. Emotional intelligence is a major constituent for adapting individuals to the environment. Considering the importance of emotional intelligence in the adaptation of behaviors, this study endeavored to investigate the relationship between emotional intelligence and adaptation to the field of study in midwifery students.

This cross-sectional study was conducted with the participation of 200 undergraduate midwifery students who entered the study by census method in the academic year 2021. No history of mental illness and dismissal from the university or receiving any notice from the disciplinary committee and completing 2 years of study were among the criteria for engaging in the study. Data were collected by demographic information questionnaires, Farahbakhsh questionnaire for University Students Adjustment and Bar-On’s The emotional quotient inventory.

The findings revealed there was a direct relationship between the total score of Emotional intelligence and all its dimensions with the total score of academic adjustment (p<0.001). Besides, there was a direct relationship between the total score of Emotional intelligence with all dimensions of academic adjustment, the number of units passed and the academic semester (p<.05), but there was no significant relationship with the age, grade point average, and education level of the parents (p<.05).The total compatibility score had a direct relationship with the grade point average (p<.05), but there was no significant relationship with age, number of units passed, academic semester, and parents' education level (p<.05).

Emotional intelligence is a major constituent for individuals' adjustment to their environment; this way, emotional intelligence can be used to improve midwifery students' adaptation to their field of study and empower them.