Abstract:
This study was designed to investigate the influence of emotional intelligence and learning styles on school adjustment of junior secondary school students. Six research questions and four null hypotheses were formulated to guide the study. The research design employed was ex-post facto research design. The target population for the study was all the junior secondary school students in public secondary schools in Nsukka Education Zone. The sample consisted of 567 junior secondary two students drawn from intact classes of a randomly selected 15 public secondary schools in Nsukka Education Zone. Three instruments were used for data collection, namely: Students Adjustment Scales (SAS), Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire (E.I.Q) and Learning styles Inventory (L.S.I). The data collected were analyzed using mean and standard deviation to answer research questions while ANOVA and t – test statistics were used to test the null hypotheses formulated. The major findings of the study included: There were three levels of students emotional intelligence classified as high, moderate and Low. The students learning styles were Visual, Auditory and Kinesthetic, Emotional intelligence had significant influence on school adjustment. Gender had no significant influence on school adjustment and emotional intelligence. Learning styles had no significant influence on school adjustment. One of the major educational implications of this study was that students should be groomed to develop high and moderate levels of emotional intelligence which will likely enhance their school adjustment. A major recommendation of the study was that there is a need for policy initiatives aimed at creating general awareness among educational stakeholders about the importance of training teachers and students for emotional competence since such training may facilitate proper students’ school adjustment.
