ASSESSMENT OF EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE AND ACADEMIC MOTIVATION IN SCHOOL GIRLS

Background: Students have different levels of emotional Intelligence and academic motivation which contribute to academic excellence in students. Factors other than ability such as motivation, attitude and personality cou ld contribute to differences in performance. The objectives of the study were to assess the levels of emotional intelligence and academic motivation and significant difference in various standards of girl students, Design: A Description survey was undert aken to assess the levels of emotional intelligence and academic motivation of the school girl students of Sacred Hearts Girls High School, Yercaud. 200 students were randomly selected from students studying from 6 th to 10 th standards. Measures: Data were collected by using emotional intelligence scale and academic motivation inventory. Collected data were analyzed by descriptive and inferential statistics in terms of percentage, chi - square, & Ftest (ANOVA), and results were interpreted based on the sco res obtained by the girl students. Results: In emotional intelligence, girl students in 6 th standard had highest percentage and in academic motivation, students in 10 th & 6 th standards had highest percentages. The girl students studying in different standards had significant association in emotional intelligence such as standard, age, and religion but they had significant association in academic motivations such as age, religion and father's education. In ANOVA, the students studying in different standard s had no significant difference in emotional intelligence but they had significant difference in academic motivation. Conclusion: Sixth standard students had high score in emotional intelligence and sixth and tenth standards students had high score in academic motivation. Significant association was found in emotional intelligence and demographic variables such as standard, age, and religion of the girl students but significant association was found in academic motivation and demographic variables like age, religion and father's education. The different standards of the girl students did not differ significantly in emotional intelligence and they differed significantly in academic motivation.