Addressing Academic Stress with Emotional Intelligence: A Counsellor’s Perspective

Abstract

Stress is a state of physiological and psychological disequilibrium which
has devastating and debilitating effects on individuals. Students experience
academic stress with the great source from test-taking, studying for
examinations, grade competition, completion of assignment, workload etc.
Inability to manage stress effectively results in prevalence of failure, poor
performance, truancy, drop-outs, lack of motivation, feeling of inadequacy,
frustration and dejection among students. In view of this, the emotional
intelligence competencies of self-awareness and self-management are
considered for managing academic stress under this study. This paper
therefore examines the concepts of stress, academic stress, emotional
intelligence and its competencies. Finally, the paper recommends that all
students should be equipped with emotional intelligence competencies so
as to manage academic stress in a healthy manner