PSYCHOLOGICAL MECHANISMS OF EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE DEVELOPMENT IN STUDENT YOUTH: AGE-RELATED FEATURES AND DEVELOPMENTAL PATHWAYS.

s young people face new academic, social, and professional demands while their identity and self-regulation are still being formed. This article analyzes the age-related psychological features of student youth and the mechanisms through which EI develops during this period. Based on a theoretical analysis of developmental psychology, emotion research, recent international reviews (2021–2026), and studies by Uzbek scholars, the article identifies four key psychological mechanisms of EI development: affect labeling and emotional awareness, reflective processing of emotional experience, the acquisition of adaptive emotion regulation strategies, and social learning through interaction with peers and mentors. The article also outlines psychological risk factors that may hinder EI development, including chronic academic stress, emotional avoidance, and the dominance of digital communication. On this basis, developmental pathways are proposed that link each mechanism to specific psychological and educational practices in the university environment, with attention to the conditions of higher education in Uzbekistan. The findings can be used by university psychologists, instructors, tutors, and curriculum designers to create targeted conditions for the emotional development of students.