Self-esteem, emotional intelligence and happiness among secondary school adolescents in Wakiso District.

Abstract

Adolescents in secondary school in Uganda go through episodes of un happiness in school and this may be attributed to low levels of both self-esteem and emotional intelligence. The purpose of this study was thus to investigate the relationship between self-esteem, emotional intelligence and happiness among adolescents in secondary schools in Wakiso District with specific objectives: To find out the relationship between self-esteem and emotional intelligence. To examine the relationship between self-esteem and happiness. To examine the relationship between emotional intelligence and happiness and to establish whether emotional intelligence mediates between self-esteem and happiness amongst secondary school adolescents. A correlation survey research design with a purely quantitative approach was used to examine the relationship empirically. A sample of 201 respondents selected using systematic random sampling was used. Data was collected using self-administered questionnaires and analyzed using SPSS and hypotheses were tested using Pearson product moment correlation coefficient and regression analysis. Self-esteem and emotional intelligence were significantly related (r=.366**, p<0.01), emotional intelligence and happiness were found to be significantly related (r=.472**, p<0.01) and likewise happiness was found to be positively related to self-esteem (r=.345**, p<0.01). The study also revealed that emotional intelligence partially mediates self-esteem and happiness. As a result, the study recommends that parents, teachers, Ministry of Education, Education institutions and other stake holders should be exemplary and inspirational (role models), positively and openly communicate with the adolescents continuously to enhance and boost self-esteem and happiness levels of the adolescent in secondary schools.