Emotional Intelligence of Junior High School Learners: Basis for a Student Development Program

Abstract

Emotional intelligence is vital in the optimum development and well-being of learners in the pursuit of their personal and academic aspirations in life. Along this premise, the study was conceived to determine and explore the emotional intelligence (EI) of junior high school students. The study made use of the sequential explanatory design, specifically the descriptive and hermeneutic phenomenology, with the survey questionnaire and interview guide as the main data gathering tools. Frequency count, percentage, weighted means, the Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient were utilized as statistical tools for data analysis. The study concluded that the learners have a varying academic profile and possess satisfactory performance in class; however, they possess commendable emotional intelligence reflective of their capacity to make informed choices and decisions. It was recommended that the designed JuniorHigh School Empowerment Program be forwarded to the City Schools Division of San Fernando for further validation by concerned Officials and eventually to be adopted for the enhancement of academic and emotional concerns of learners.