Components of emotional intelligence: The effect on the socio-psychological adaptation of students in a foreign language environment

Abstract

Introduction. Today studying abroad is increasingly available to young people in different countries. However, not all young people are prepared to face the unfamiliar world and its challenges without the protection of their parents. Many young people encounter difficulties of socio-psychological adaptation in a foreign language environment. Though personality traits are considered to be one of the most important factors influencing the socio-psychological adaptation of students in an unfamiliar environment, there are few studies that specifically focus on the direct impact of personality traits on the socio-psychological adaptation of students in a foreign country. As a personal resource, emotional intelligence regulates the attitude of students to others in a foreign cultural environment and makes it possible to build interpersonal relations in the educational sphere despite the language barrier. Emotional intelligence also determines the academic and professional success of students. The article studies the influence of emotional intelligence components on the success of socio-psychological adaptation of students studying in a foreign language environment.

Materials and Methods. The sample consisted of 90 Chinese students studying at Russian universities. The following methods were used to determine the levels of emotional intelligence, socio-cultural and interpersonal adaptation, and the subjectness of students in changing circumstances: MSCEIT v 2.0, the Test of Individual’s Adaptation to New Socio-Cultural Environment by L. V. Yankovsky (adapted by V. V. Konstantinov), the Method for Studying the Socio-Psychological Adaptation of an Individual in a Small Group and an Informal Subgroup (A. V. Sidorenkov, E. S. Koval) and the Questionnaire of Life Orientations (E. Y. Korzhova). The simple regression analysis was used to analyze the data obtained.

Results. The simple regression analysis identified significant positive influence of emotional intelligence components on the socio-psychological adaptation of students in a foreign language environment. Specifically, ‘understanding and analyzing emotions’ and ‘managing emotions’ have a significant impact on ‘adaptation to informal relations in the group’. Further, ‘managing emotions’ is also a predictor of the ‘transsituational locus of control’. Finally, ‘adaptability and involvement’ in the sociocultural environment to a significant extent depends on ‘identifying emotions’.

Conclusions. The success of socio-psychological adaptation of student youth in a foreign language environment is to a significant degree determined by various components of emotional intelligence.