Emotional Intelligence, Academic Motivation, and Achievement among Health Science Students in Saudi Arabia: A Self-Deterministic Approach.

PURPOSE

This study used a self-deterministic approach to explore the relationship between emotional intelligence (EI), academic motivation (AM), and achievement among health science students.

METHODS

A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in three cities of Saudi Arabia (Dammam, Riyadh, and Jeddah). A convenience sample of 450 students was incorporated using the multistage cluster sampling technique. The online survey contained three sections: students' basic data and academic achievement level, the modified Schutte self-report inventory, and the Academic Motivation Scale lowercase.

RESULTS

This study revealed moderate overall scores for EI (57.1%), AM (55.6%), and grade point average (GPA) (57.6%). The overall EI score, its domains, and GPA had significant positive correlations with overall AM and intrinsic and extrinsic motivation ( < .01). Amotivation had an insignificant correlation with GPA ( < .05), but it was negatively correlated with EI and its domains ( < .01). Multiple regression analysis proved that EI domains predicted 5.0% of GPA variance; emotions appraisal and expression (β = .02, = .024), regulation (β = .11, = .032), and utilization (β = .24, < .01). EI domains also predicted 26.0% of AM variance; emotions appraisal and expression (β = .11, = .04), regulation (β = .33, < .01), and utilization (β = .23, <.01). Moreover, AM predicted 4.0% of the variance in GPA; intrinsic (β = .25, = .004) and extrinsic (β = .11, = .022) motivation. AM also predicted 25.0% of the variance in EI: intrinsic (β = .34, < .01) and extrinsic motivation (β = .26, = .026).

CONCLUSION

EI and AM have a bidirectional influence on each other, significantly shaping the GPA of health sciences students in Saudi Arabia, where intrinsic motivation has a predominant role. Thus, promoting students' AM and EI is recommended to foster their academic achievement.