Abstract
The study examined emotional intelligence and examination anxiety among undergraduates in public universities. Two research questions and two hypotheses were developed and tested. The study employed a correlational ex-post facto research design. The population of study consists 30,052 undergraduates from Delta State’s public universities. One thousand undergraduates were selected through systematic sampling. The Emotional Intelligence and Examination Anxiety Questionnaire (EIEAQ) was used. The instrument was given to 50 undergraduates from outside the study area; factor analysis determined construct and content validity. Validity was also evaluated by three experts from the Department of Guidance and Counseling. EIEAQ reliability was assessed using Cronbach’s alpha, yielding a coefficient of 0.892 and 0.869 for the Examination Anxiety scale respectively. With the assistance of three research assistants, the questionnaire was distributed directly to subjects in sampled institutions. Data were analysed using Pearson r correlation and regression. Each hypothesis was tested at the 0.05 significance level. Findings: (i) undergraduates possess a high level of emotional intelligence; (ii) emotional intelligence and examination anxiety have a positive relationship; (iii) gender has a positive moderating impact on this relationship. The study concludes that emotional intelligence significantly determines examination anxiety levels. Based on findings, it is recommended that emotional intelligence development programmes be integrated into counselling services and student support initiatives to help undergraduates manage stress and regulate their emotions.