Emotional Intelligence and Mathematics Learning Achievement among Senior High School Students

Abstract

Mathematics learning achievement remains a significant challenge in secondary education, as many students continue to experience difficulties in understanding mathematical concepts and solving complex problems. Recent studies have suggested that, besides cognitive ability, emotional intelligence plays an important role in determining students' academic success. This study aimed to examine the relationship between emotional intelligence and mathematics learning achievement among senior high school students. A quantitative correlational research design was employed involving 38 tenth-grade students of SMA Swasta Dwiwarna Medan selected through simple random sampling. Primary data were collected using a 30-item emotional intelligence questionnaire covering self-awareness, self-regulation, self-motivation, empathy, and social skills, as well as a mathematics achievement test on the topic of Systems of Linear Equations in Three Variables. The instruments were validated through expert judgment and empirical testing, while data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, the Kolmogorov–Smirnov normality test, and Pearson Product–Moment correlation analysis with IBM SPSS Statistics 27. The results revealed a statistically significant moderate positive relationship between emotional intelligence and mathematics learning achievement (r = 0.518, p = 0.001). Emotional intelligence explained 26.8% of the variance in mathematics learning achievement, indicating that students with higher emotional intelligence tended to achieve better learning outcomes. These findings highlight the importance of integrating emotional intelligence development into mathematics instruction to enhance students' academic achievement and support holistic educational practices.