THE IMPACT OF SOCIO-EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE ON ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE

The study was designed to check the impact of socio-emotional intelligence on academic performance of the university students. The target population was BS, MS and PhD students of the COMSATS institute for information technology. Self-administered questionnaire based survey method was adopted using Bar On EQ-I questionnaire for data collection based on non-random sampling (Convenient) sampling method. Results indicate positive correlation between socioemotional intelligence and academic performance and the results recommend penetration of socio-emotional intelligence practices in teaching learning processes for getting best possible academics objectives.


I. INTRODUCTION
Socio-emotional Intelligence Emotional Intelligence has a century backed history and can be found in the work of Aristotle and other different researchers (FME, 2014;Jordan, 2014). But formally it was introduced with intensity and application in the writing of Goleman in his best-selling book "Emotional Intelligence Why It Can Matter More Than IQ" in 1995. It is defined as the ability to recognize the emotions of self and other and respond them accordingly (Mayer, Salovey, Caruso, & Cherkasskiy, 2011). Thorndike (1920) also explained it in his social intelligence theory by stating to understand, accept and react wisely to the emotions of all human beings that may be man, woman, boy or girl (BBPSD, 2010;Blerk, 2013).
Socio-emotional intelligence and academic performance Socio-emotional intelligence is considering as a predictor of academic performance, a prerequisite for academic performance and achievements (Nasir & Masrur, 2010;Saeed, 2014). It develops intrinsic motivations among the student of all age, gender, color and cost for both short and long term academic achievements (Bhadouria Preeti, 2013;Nasir, 2012). It is more demanding at primary and secondary levels to develop confidence, empathy and socialization among kids (Zain & Hassan, 2013). Similarly, in higher, technical, medical and engineering education, Emotional intelligence integration is demanded and recommended by different researchers (Riemer, 2003;Chamundeswari, 2013;Arockia & Sangeetha, 2013). Emotional intelligence, when tested among socially disadvantaged and ill-mannered student, it proved it positive correlation with academic performance and also worked in behavior modification (Ghosh, 2014;Petrides, Federickson, & Furnham, 2004). But it does not mean that EI is the single major contributes in academic. Greater variation can be seen in research studies which links EI to academic performance (Costa & Faria, 2015;Lynch & Simpson, 2010). Some research studies findings negate relation of EI with academic's contributions (Austina, Evansb, Goldwatera, & Pottera, 2005). According to other research studies, EI develop personality of the learner which further enhances their academic performances (Brackett, Rivers, & Salovey, 2011;Loise M.Ladrazo & Barchard, 2013;Brackett, Rivers, & Salovey, 2011). Goroshit (2014) Study concluded that EI has indirect effect on academic performance through the mediating role of self-efficacy which further increases academic performance. All these researches proved the efficacy of social and emotional intelligence with academic performance, whether its direct or indirect. Intrapersonal skills and academic performance Intrapersonal skills focus on inner hidden skills, thoughts, strength and potentials and lead them to self-actualization phase. It helps in recognizing person's own-self, their strengths and weaknesses, moods and emotions and their impacts on others (Boud, Cohen, & Sampson, 2006;Borah, 2013). These people are selfeager, self-aware, assertive and love to work independently. Intrapersonal skills development leads to self-construction from inside-out, helps in developing confidence and improve decision making skills. Through intrapersonal skills person control his thoughts and actions, remains motivated, calm and confident and start believe in himself, both consciously and subconsciously, which increase productivity and performance (Sambaiah, 2016;The McGraw-Hill Companies, 2010). Shabana (2013) state that with high intra-personal skills and selfawareness intrinsic motivations are created which lead to high academic performance. Beside this, it improves learning strategies, memorization and cognition abilities (Taheri, 2016). It develops self-regulation, which is the ability to develop, implement, and flexibly maintain planned behavior in order to achieve one's goals. It is also considering as an ability to control or redirect impulses and moods, its propensity to suspend judgment and think before acting. According to social cognitive theory of self-regulation, it plays the role of mediation between external influences and purposive human behaviors (Bandura, 1991). Self-regulation in a student is consider as an important predictor and motivation for academic performance (Zumbrunn & Tadlock, 2011) (Kitsantas, Winsler, & Huie, 2008). In online learning, self-regulation has rendered result in good academic achievement and goalorientations (Matuga, 2009). Besides these, it is used to regulate behaviors and emotions in academic processes, which give results in good academic performance (Morrison, Ponitz, & McClelland, 2010). It develops motivation in students, whether intrinsic or extrinsic, which is one of the most important factors in academic performance and student success and give zests, determination and excitement to reach to the heights (Singh, 2011).
Interpersonal skills and academic performance Interpersonal skills are the foundations for human relations, pave road to work with diverse people in heterogeneous environment (The McGraw-Hill Companies, 2010;Brackett, Rivers, & Salovey, 2011). It focuses on improving Cross-cultural sensitivity and giving full satisfactory services to the demanding people. Human by its very nature is a social entity, empathetic, focus on developing better relations with peer, behave and perform well in valued, cultured and socio-emotionally charged environment. Living in friendly and supporting environment adds to positive personality development and gradually remove negative habits and behaviors from the student. Due to positive enforcements, academic performance is improved (Sambaiah, 2016). Learner remains happy, adoptable, motivated, learn to respect other's point of view, influence and some-times get influenced, solve academic and social problems in collaboration and learns leading manners (Bratton, Dodd, & Brown, 2011;Comedis, 2014).
One of the core areas of Interpersonal relationship is the development of social skills, which refer to getting proficiency in managing relationships and building networks. These skills lay foundations for success in academics as well as in practical life (Lynch & Simpson, 2010) and influence mental health (Huitt & Dawson, 2011). Social skills prepare students to use learning skills and facilitate prosocial behaviors (Comedis, 2014). Research shows that student with social skills performs better in academics (Bloom, 2007) build cognitive competences (Feitosa, Prette, & Prette, 2012) therefore academic and social skills should be integrated in syllabus (Eleby, 2009). General mood and academic performance Mood is natural but unstable phenomenon, remain switch off and on from time to time. But general mood, as defined and used in EI, is general, stable, less intense phenomenon, having guiding and directing stimuli towards objectives (Hume, 2013). Mood is a plastic entity, can be changed through different stimuli like food, environment and culture (Maria A. Polak, Flet, Brookie, & S.Conner, 2015). EI treatments and practice promote positive moods in learner, which helps in solving complex cognitive problems, has facilitating impact on memory, create confidence and smoothen learning and decision-making processes; and negative mood lead to depression and lower academic performance (Khurshid, Parveen, Yousuf, & Chaudhry, 2015). Research shows that positive mood regulates emotions, control impulses, promote social positive engagement and have good impacts on learning activities (Gumora & Arsenio, 2002). Stress management and academic performance Stress is not a worthy thing to be managed, but if left uncontrolled, then it controls the beholder and makes the them worthless. Stress is a natural response to any unexpected situations in abnormal way. It differs in intensity depending upon so many internal and external stimuli. According to Shastri (2016) it is common to all students to take stress whether he is low or high achiever. If the beholder is not stronger, managed and developed, they can't response in a desired way (Academic Skills Center, 2013). If stress is smaller in value, it improves productivity, prepares the beholder, makes him ready in advance to cope, but if it is bigger in size and complex in nature than it creates complex problems (Kranner, Minibayeva, Beckett, & Sea, 2010). If students are provided with adequate training in coping and dealing with the stresses, they can manage their stress and in better way academic processing can occur (Mandale, 2010). Some research studies don't find any correlation between stress management strategies but many studies suggest that stress tolerance and good impulse control strategies teaching, training and treatment are provided, it construct personality of the learner, enable learners to deal with the unexpected occurring and improve academic performance if managed well in time (S, Jose, & Valsaraj, 2015;Khurshid, Parveen, Yousuf, & Chaudhry, 2015). Adaptability and academic performance Human is adoptable, flexible and responsive; adjust itself to new situations and environment. Nothing is constant in the world except the change. According to the changing environment, needs, and demands of the socioeconomic life changes and human adept or adopt itself accordingly (Oliver, 2014;Tiwari, Pandey, & Sharma, 2010). Adoptability increases with exposures, intrapersonal and interpersonal skills. It develops creativity, increase performance, develop critical problem-solving skills, competition, and socioeconomic productivity (Holtkamp, 2014). In educational setting, it brings exploration (Miller, 2009), increase academic adjustment and performance (Nasir, 2012), promote better behavior, dealing and relationship (Collie, Holliman, & Martin, 2016). With socioemotional intelligence training student's adoptability traits can be improved, which eventually improve learning behaviors and academic performance (Bandura, 1991;Arockia & Sangeetha, 2013).

II. METHODS
Study was quantitative in nature based on survey data using BarOn EQ (I) questionnaire. Convenient sampling technique was used because entire population was qualifying criteria for studies. 255 students from BS (131), MS (91) and PhD (33) programs participated in the survey among them 98 (38%) were female and 157 (62%) were male. In study efforts were made to give proper proportion to all programs and gender. Data was analyzed with 5-likert scale (strongly disagree=1, Agree= 2, Neutral= 3, Agree= 4, Strongly Agree= 5).
Reliability of the scale was checked using Cronbach's Alpha and scale was found reliable and internally consistent in getting the answers of the questions. Reliability for Intrapersonal skills was 0.727 for 12 items, for Interpersonal 0.635 for 12 items, for General Mood 0.646 for 12 items, for Adoptability 0.675 for 12 items and for stress management 0.635 for 8 items. Descriptive Statistics: Questions were rated on the 5-linkert scale (strongly disagree=1, disagree=2, neutral = 3, agree=4 and strongly agree=5). Minimum response for CGPA response 2.30(showing disagree) and maximum value was 3.91(representing strongly agree) and the mean value for CGPA is 3.2751 represents that tendency of responses is "Agree" and standard deviation is 0.42168which shows less variation in the data and support the previous statement. All variables mean lies near mean values and very less dispersion in responses are shown, which means that respondents agree and confirm the effects of Socio-emotional Intelligence on academic performance.   .00 0 Table 4 shows the fitness of the model. Residual sum of square is 35.101 which show the unexplained deviation of dependent variable i.e. academic performance (CGPA) from its estimate. The F-statistics is 47.559 at .000 sig level which is less than the cutoff of 0.05. This shows significant relationship between the independent variables and dependent variable. The significance value shows that the model is fit for this study. Table 5 shows that Socio-emotional Intelligence has a significant value (.000) which means that there is a direct and positive impact of socio-emotional intelligence on academic performance. The analysis shows that independent variable has significant impact on the dependent variable academic performance.

Correlation Analysis
To see the impact of socio-emotional intelligence on academic performance on the bas basis of gender, ANNOVA was used, whose results are shown in the below table 6. Significant difference is seen of socio-emotional intelligence on academic performance on the basis of gender on all constructs of the study. It means that impact of socio-emotional intelligence is different for male and female. To see the impact of socio-emotional intelligence on academic performance on the bas basis of Academic qualification, ANNOVA was used, whose results are shown in the below table 8. Significant difference is seen in the level of socio-emotional intelligence on academic performance on the basis of academic qualification on all constructs of the study. It means that impact of socio-emotional intelligence is different for the students with different qualifications.

III. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
This study explored the impact of socio-emotional intelligence on academic performance in the higher educational level. It is confirmed from the study's results that socio-emotional intelligence has greater impact on academic performance and it plays its critical role as a moderator and mediator in different situations and enhance academic performance of the learner. Although its intensity and application remain different for gender, age and level of education. Females are found to be more selffocused, having better socio-emotional and intrapersonal skill and better able to manage their moods. Males are better in managing stress and having good interpersonal skills. With the increase in educational level, overall socio-emotional skill of the learner increases for both male and female. PhD students are having higher socio-emotional skills as compared to MS and BS students and can betterly manage their stresses. Masters' students are found more intrapersonal, interpersonal and better to manage their moods. For undergrads' students, the values of SEI and all its components remained lower, which support the research findings that with the increase in educational level and age socioemotional intelligence level improve. Studies has greater implications for learning environment and policy maker. Emotionally charged environment remains supportive and helpful for learning catching and occurring. Educational policy maker should make a part of curriculum at different level especially in teacher training programs so that we can get better productive results from the learning activities.

IV. CONCLUSION/RECOMENDATION
Study indicates that there is a significant impact of socio-emotional intelligence on academic performance. Therefore, it is recommended that rigorous training workshops and courses regarding socio-emotional intelligence development should be included in curriculum and training. Teacher should be trained for socio-emotional intelligence so that they can better handle and predict student academic performance. Future research is recommended to explore and test socioemotional intelligence for behavior modification, EI teaching strategies and on designing evaluation studies that assess changes in knowledge (learning), behavior (expertise), and results (performance).