title: Higher emotional intelligence is related to lower test anxiety among students.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  For students attending university courses, experiencing test anxiety (TA) dramatically impairs cognitive performance and success at exams. Whereas TA is a specific case of social phobia, emotional intelligence (EI) is an umbrella term covering interpersonal and intrapersonal skills, along with positive stress management, adaptability, and mood. In the present study, we tested the hypothesis that higher EI and lower TA are associated. Further, sex differences were explored.
  
  
  METHODS
  During an exam week, a total of 200 university students completed questionnaires covering sociodemographic information, TA, and EI.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Higher scores on EI traits were associated with lower TA scores. Relative to male participants, female participants reported higher TA scores, but not EI scores. Intrapersonal and interpersonal skills and mood predicted low TA, while sex, stress management, and adaptability were excluded from the equation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The pattern of results suggests that efforts to improve intrapersonal and interpersonal skills, and mood might benefit students with high TA. Specifically, social commitment might counteract TA.
authors.affiliation: Behavioral Disorders and Substances Abuse, Research Center, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ahmadpanah
authors.affiliation: Behavioral Disorders and Substances Abuse, Research Center, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammadreza
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Keshavarz
authors.affiliation: Behavioral Disorders and Substances Abuse, Research Center, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Haghighi
authors.affiliation: Behavioral Disorders and Substances Abuse, Research Center, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran.
authors.forename: Leila
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Jahangard
authors.affiliation: Iranian National Center for Addiction Studies (INCAS), Iranian Institute for Reduction of High-Risk Behaviors, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Hafez
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bajoghli
authors.affiliation: Psychiatric Clinics of the University of Basel, Center for Affective, Stress and Sleep Disorders, Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Dena
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sadeghi Bahmani
authors.affiliation: Psychiatric Clinics of the University of Basel, Center for Affective, Stress and Sleep Disorders, Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Edith
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Holsboer-Trachsler
authors.affiliation: Psychiatric Clinics of the University of Basel, Center for Affective, Stress and Sleep Disorders, Basel, Switzerland; Department of Sport, Exercise and Health Science, Sport Science Section, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Serge
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Brand
keywords: emotional intelligence; interpersonal skills; intrapersonal skills; students; test anxiety
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