Emotional intelligence, academic performance and gender differences among undergraduate students

Authors

  • Ángela Pascual Miguel Author
  • Marina Muñoz Arránz Author
  • Raquel Martínez Sinovas Author
  • Luisa María Arias Lozano Author
  • Diego Olivar Aldudo Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.67799/prolepsis.2026.13.1.03

Keywords:

emotional intelligence, academic performance, higher education, gender

Abstract

Background: Emotional intelligence is a construct of growing interest in the field of education due to its potential influence on students’ academic performance and well-being. Method: This study aims to analyse differences in emotional intelligence by gender and to examine the relationship between emotional intelligence and academic performance among undergraduate students at the University of Valladolid. A non-experimental, descriptive, cross-sectional and correlational study was conducted with a sample of 218 university students (84% women and 16% men), aged between 18 and 29. Emotional intelligence was assessed using the Trait Meta-Mood Scale-24, which measures the dimensions of emotional attention, emotional clarity and emotional repair. Results: No significant differences were observed in emotional clarity, emotional repair or academic performance. Furthermore, no correlation was found between emotional intelligence and academic performance. Conclusion: These findings contribute to the debate on the relationship between emotional intelligence and academic performance among university students.

References

Arntz Vera, J., & Trunce Morales, S. (2019). Inteligencia emocional y rendimiento académico en estudiantes universitarios de nutrición. Investigación En Educación Médica, 8(31),82-91. https://doi.org/10.22201/facmed.20075057e.2019.31.18130

Bandura, A. (1997). Self-efficacy: The exercise of control. W. H. Freeman.

Bisquerra Alzina, R., & Pérez Escoda, N. (2007). Las competencias emocionales. Educación XX1, 10(1), 61-82. https://doi.org/10.5944/educxx1.1.10.297

Carrasco Díaz, I. Y. (2013). Inteligencia emocional y rendimiento académico en estudiantes universitarios de Farmacia y Bioquímica en Huancayo. Apuntes de Ciencia & Sociedad, 3(1), 36–50. https://doi.org/10.18259/acs.2013005

Cejudo, J., López-Delgado, M. L., & Rubio, M. J. (2016). Inteligencia emocional y resiliencia: Su influencia en la satisfacción con la vida en estudiantes universitarios. Anuario de Psicología, 46(2), 51–57. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anpsic.2016.07.001

Cohen, J. (1988). Statistical power analysis for the behavioral sciences. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. https://www.utstat.toronto.edu/~brunner/ oldclass/378f16/readings/CohenPower.pdf

Extremera, N., & Fernández-Berrocal, P. (2005). Inteligencia emocional percibida y diferencias individuales en el metaconocimiento de los estados emocionales: Una revisión de los estudios con el Trait Meta-Mood Scale. Ansiedad y Estrés, 11(2–3), 101–122. https://www.ansiedadyestres.es/sites/default/files/rev/ucm/2005/anyes2005a10.pdf

Fernández Lasarte, O., Ramos Díaz, E., & Axpe Sáez, I. (2019). Rendimiento académico, apoyo social percibido e inteligencia emocional en la universidad. EJIHPE: European Journal of Investigation in Health, Psychology and Education, 9(1), 39-49. https://doi.org/10.30552/ejihpe.v9i1.315

Fernández-Berrocal, P., Extremera, N., & Ramos, N. (2004). Validity and reliability of the Spanish modified version of the Trait Meta-Mood Scale. Psychological Reports, 94(3 Pt 1),751-755. https://doi.org/10.2466/pr0.94.3.751-755

Gilar Corbi, R., Pozo Rico, T., Castejón, J. L., Sánchez, T., Sandoval Palis, I., & Vidal, J. (2020). Academic Achievement and Failure in University Studies: Motivational and Emotional Factors. Sustainability, 12(23), Article 9798. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12239798

Goleman, D. (1996). La inteligencia emocional (E. Mateo, Trad.). Kairós. (Trabajo original publicado en 1995).

Gross, J. J., & John, O. P. (2003). Individual differences in two emotion regulation processes: Implications for affect, relationships, and well-being. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 85(2), 348–362. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.85.2.348

Hussain, M., Muhammad, Z., Ali, R., & Siddique, A. (2025). Students’ Emotional Intelligence and its Effect on Academic Achievement at University Level. Journal of Asian Development Studies, 14(1). https://doi.org/10.62345/jads.2025.14.1.47

Idrogo Zamora, D. I., & Asenjo-Alarcón, J. A. (2021). Relación entre inteligencia emocional y rendimiento académico en estudiantes universitarios peruanos. Revista Investigación Psicológica, 26, 69–79. https://doi.org/10.53287/ryfs1548js42x

Jaimes, F. (2008). Inteligencia emocional y rendimiento académico en estudiantes de la Facultad de Educación y Humanidades de la Universidad Alas Peruanas. Ciencia y Desarrollo, 9, 11-19. http://dx.doi.org/10.21503/cyd.v9i0.1176

Mallqui Maguiña, J. C., & Campana Concha, A. R. (2026). Inteligencia emocional y rendimiento académico: Un estudio correlacional en universitarios de Lima Norte. Ciencia Latina Revista Científica Multidisciplinar, 10(2), 163–180. https://doi.org/10.37811/cl_rcm.v10i2.23042

Martínez-Rodríguez, A., & Ferreira, C. (2023). Relación entre rendimiento académico e inteligencia emocional en estudiantes universitarios de Grado y Máster de la Universidad de León. Revista Complutense de Educación, 34(4), 795–807. https://doi.org/10.5209/rced.80128

Matz, R. L., Koester, B. P., Fiorini, S., Grom, G., Shepard, L., Stangor, C. G., Weiner, B., & McKay, T. A. (2017). Patterns of gendered performance differences in large introductory courses at five research universities. AERA Open, 3(4), 1–14. https://doi.org/10.1177/2332858417743754

Mayer, J.D. & Salovey, P. (1997). What is emotional intelligence? En P. Salovey & D. Sluyter (Eds.), Emotional development and emotional intelligence: Educational implications (pp. 3-31). Basic Books.

Odom, S., Boso, H., Bowling, S., Brownell, S., Cotner, S., Creech, C., Drake, A. G., Eddy, S., Fagbodun, S., Hebert, S., James, A. C., Just, J., St Juliana, J. R., Shuster, M., Thompson, S. K., Whittington, R., Wills, B. D., Wilson, A. E., Zamudio, K. R., Zhong, M., … Ballen, C. J. (2021). Meta-analysis of Gender Performance Gaps in Undergraduate Natural Science Courses. CBE Life Sciences Education, 20(3), ar40. https://doi.org/10.1187/cbe.20-11-0260

Páez Cala, M. L., & Castaño Castrillón, J. J. (2015). Inteligencia emocional y rendimiento académico en estudiantes universitarios. Psicología desde el Caribe, 32(2), 268-285. http://www.redalyc.org/articulo.oa?id=21341030006

Perera, H. N., & DiGiacomo, M. (2015). The role of trait emotional intelligence in academic performance during the university transition: An integrative model of mediation via social support, coping, and adjustment. Personality and Individual Differences, 83, 208-213. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2015.04.001

Pintrich, P. (2000). The role of goal orientation in self-regulated learning. In M. Boekaerts, P. R. Pintrich, & M. Zeidner (Eds.), Handbook of self-regulation(pp. 451–502). Academic Press.

Pita, Z., Malavé, J., Sánchez, Z., Aguilera, N., & Delgado, Y. (2025). Influencia de la Inteligencia Emocional en el Rendimiento Académico en Estudiantes Universitarios. Polo del Conocimiento, 10(10), 499-524. https://polodelconocimiento.com/ojs/index.php/es/article/view/10551/27697

Pulido Acosta, F., & Herrera Clavero, F. (2017). La influencia de las Emociones sobre el rendimiento académico. Ciencias Psicológicas, 11(1), 29-39. https://doi.org/10.22235/cp.v11i2.1344

Restrepo, J. E., Bedoya-Cardona, E. Y., Cuartas-Montoya, G. P., Cassaretto, M., & Vilela, P. (2023). Academic stress and adaptation to university life: Mediation of cognitive-emotional regulation and social support. Anales de Psicología, 39(1), 62–71. https://doi.org/10.6018/analesps.472201

Rodríguez Rodríguez, J. C., Rodríguez Rodríguez, J. A., Rodríguez Góngora, J., & Bojórquez Díaz, C. (2021). Inteligencia emocional y rendimiento académico en universitarios: Una revisión sistemática. Espacios, 42(7), 145–151. https://doi.org/10.48082/espacios-a21v42n07p10

Rodríguez-Sáez, J. L., Martín-Antón, L. J., Salgado-Ruiz, A., & Carbonero-Martín, M. Á. (2025). Emerging adulthood, socioemotional variables and mental health in Spanish university students. BMC Psychology, 13, Artículo 531. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-025-02804-y

Rosenthal, R. (1991). Meta-analytic procedures for social research (Rev. ed.). Sage Publications

Salovey, P. & Mayer, J. D. (1990). Emotional Intelligence. Imagination, Cognition, and Personality, 9, 185-225.

Salovey, P., Mayer, J. D., Goldman, S. L., Turvey, C., & Palfai, T. P. (1995). Emotional attention, clarity and repair: exploring emotional intelligence using the trait meta-mood scale. In J. Pennebaker (ed.), Emotion, Disclousure and Health. (pp. 125-154). American Psychological Association.

Schneider, M., & Preckel, F. (2017). Variables associated with achievement in higher education: A systematic review of meta-analyses. Psychological Bulletin, 143(6), 565–600. https://doi.org/10.1037/bul0000098

Torres Zapata, Á. E., Pérez Jaimes, A. K., Lara Gamboa, C. C., Estrada Reyes, C. U., Brito Cruz, T. del J., & Sánchez May, M. del C. (2022). Inteligencia emocional y rendimiento académico en estudiantes universitarios. Estado actual del conocimiento. RECUS. Revista Electrónica Cooperación Universidad Sociedad, 7(3), 19–25. https://doi.org/10.33936/recus.v7i3.3470

Villacorta, E. (2010). Inteligencia emocional y rendimiento académico en estudiantes de Medicina humana de la Universidad Nacional de la Amazonia Peruana. Ciencia y Desarrollo, 12, 41-56. http://dx.doi.org/10.21503/CienciayDesarrollo.2010.v12.04

Downloads

Published

2026-09-15

Issue

Section

Articles

How to Cite

Pascual Miguel, Ángela, Muñoz Arránz, M., Martínez Sinovas, R., Arias Lozano, L. M., & Olivar Aldudo, D. (2026). Emotional intelligence, academic performance and gender differences among undergraduate students. Prolepsis, 21(1), 60-74. https://doi.org/10.67799/prolepsis.2026.13.1.03