Impact of Emotional Intelligence on Psychological Well-Being of Management Undergraduates: During Covid-19 Outbreak

The COVID-19 pandemic had a substantial impact on the mental health of undergraduate students, causing increased stress and psychological distress due to the abrupt transition to online learning. This study aimed to investigate the impact of emotional intelligence on the psychological well-being of management undergraduates during the COVID-19 crisis. A quantitative research design was used, following a deductive approach within a positivist research philosophy. A total of 248 management undergraduates were selected through simple random sampling. The findings revealed a significant positive relationship between emotional intelligence and psychological well-being during the pandemic. Specifically, the sub-components of emotional intelligence such as self-management, social awareness, and relationship management were found to positively and significantly affect psychological well-being, while self-awareness did not show a significant impact. Based on these results, it is recommended that academic leaders in universities implement targeted interventions to promote emotional intelligence to support the psychological well-being of undergraduates.