Predictors of Emotional Intelligence among Academic Staff in Selected Universities in Nairobi County, Kenya

Abstract

The academic staff in the university is a vital component in enhancement of academic affairs in any university. Due to the unending changes and dynamics that increase pressure and work related stress that academic staffs are subjected to, they are required to develop high levels of adaptability in their careers to enhance creativity so that they remain relevant. The study was based on Emotional intelligence theory and Career construction theory. A descriptive survey research design was used for this study. The target population was 403 academic staffs from selected universities in Nairobi County, Kenya. The total sample size was 201 respondents selected using two stage cluster sampling. Data was collected using Emotional Intelligence Scale EI (PcSc) scale developed by Mehta & Singh (2013). To establish internal consistency of the instrument, reliability was determined and Cronbach’s alpha coefficient was 0.824. Descriptive statistics were applied to analyze quantitative data using SPSS. The study had several findings: High means in indicators of emotional intelligence were recorded where the highest score was in self- awareness (Mean = 4.13 ± .53). This was followed by self- motivation (Mean = 3.85 ± .53), social skill was rated the third aspect of emotional intelligence (Mean = 3.83 ± .43) and the lowest was emotional regulation (Mean = 3.68 ± .55). The findings also indicated that there were differences in the mean score of Emotional intelligence across age, gender, education level, type of university and teaching experience. However the analysis of variance showed no significant differences in emotional intelligence in terms of age and gender. Moreover, only the mean of social skills had a significant difference in terms of level of education, experience and type of university. The major recommendation therefore given by the research was enhancement of selfawareness, self- motivation, emotional regulation and social skills strategies both by individuals and various organizations in order to improve job outcomes. This would be through trainings, guidance and counselling and team building. The researcher anticipated that the results from the study will facilitate the formation of an academic staff that are holistically intelligent.