Trait emotional intelligence and its links to university performance: An examination

This study aimed at investigating the relationships between academic performance (AP) and cognitive ability, personality traits, and trait emotional intelligence (trait El or trait emotional self-efficacy) in a sample of 323 (113 female) university students in Cyprus. The study also explored differences across university majors (i.e., computer sciences, business and management, electrical engineering, tourism and marketing, law and accounting, and psychology) in trait El profiles. Trait El predicted AP over and above cognitive ability and established personality traits. In addition, there were differences across university majors in trait El scores; psychology students scored higher on trait El than computer science, electrical engineering, and business and management students. Implications for studying trait El in the context of higher education are discussed. (C) 2012 Published by Elsevier Ltd.