Mediating Role of Self-Efficacy in the Relationship between Emotional Intelligence and Academic Stress among Higher Secondary Students

Academic stress has become a growing psychological concern among higher secondary students due to heightened academic pressure, competitive examination systems, and performanceoriented evaluation practices. Emotional intelligence has been widely recognised as an important psychological resource in managing academic stress; however, the underlying mechanism through which it influences stress remains insufficiently explored. The present study investigates the mediating role of self-efficacy in the relationship between emotional intelligence and academic stress among higher secondary students. A quantitative research approach using a correlational survey design was adopted. Data were collected from 300 Class XI students enrolled in U.P. Board schools in Prayagraj city. After screening the responses for completeness and consistency, 289 valid questionnaires were retained for final analysis. Standardised psychological instruments were used to measure emotional intelligence, self-efficacy, and academic stress. The data were analysed using descriptive statistics, Pearson’s product-moment correlation, and regression-based mediation analysis. The results revealed a significant negative relationship between emotional intelligence and academic stress, indicating that emotionally intelligent students experience lower levels of academic stress. Emotional intelligence was also found to be positively associated with self-efficacy, while self-efficacy showed a strong negative association with academic stress. Mediation analysis confirmed that self-efficacy partially mediated the relationship between emotional intelligence and academic stress, suggesting that emotional intelligence reduces academic stress both directly and indirectly by strengthening students’ beliefs in their academic capabilities. The findings emphasise the critical role of selfefficacy as a psychological mechanism linking emotional intelligence and academic stress.