Relationship between emotional intelligence variables and strategies for coping with stress in students of a private school in Cúcuta

Abstract

The main objective of this research was to explore the association between emotional intelligence and coping strategies in a group of 141 ninth, tenth and eleventh grade students in a private school in Cúcuta, Norte de Santander. This study adopted a stratified random sampling approach with proportional allocation and was framed in a non-experimental cross-sectional research design. Emotional intelligence was measured using the Trait Meta-Mood Scale (TMMS-24) questionnaire, while the COPE questionnaire was used to assess coping strategies to stress. The data collected were subjected to statistical analysis in SPSS version 29 software, using Pearson's correlation formula. The results revealed a statistically significant relationship between emotional intelligence and two specific coping strategies: those focused on problem solving and those oriented towards emotional management. However, no significant relationship was observed between emotional intelligence and coping strategies based on behavior modification. In summary, these findings indicate that people with higher emotional intelligence are more likely to employ effective strategies to manage stress, especially those related to regulating their emotions and problem solving. However, they do not necessarily adapt their behavior in response to stress.