Emotional Intelligence and Personality Among Gifted and Talented, Sport School and Mainstream School Student

Abstract

Emotional intelligence, also known as EQ, and personality aspects are essential elements in shaping a student's identity. EQ refers to an individual's ability to identify, use, understand, and manage emotions positively to alleviate stress, communicate effectively, empathize, share feelings, overcome challenges, and resolve conflicts. Meanwhile, personality aspects are seen as contributors to individual differences. This study has significant implications in the field of education, especially in the realm of gifted and talented education, which is considered alongside a combination of sports school students (athletes) and mainstream school students. The aim of this study is to identify the level and differences in EQ and personality among students. A total of 419 students, comprising gifted and talented students, sports school students, and mainstream school students, participated in this study. A questionnaire containing 94 items using Likert scale measurement was used as the research instrument. The instrument's reliability value was α=0.97. The research data were analyzed inferentially using T-test and Pearson Correlation test. The findings of the study indicate a significant relationship between EQ and Personality (r=0.414, sig=0.000), with a moderately positive correlation. Meanwhile, PERMATA Program students showed higher levels of EQ and personality compared to Sports School and Mainstream School students. This study implies that EQ has a clear association with the personality aspects of gifted and talented students directly, indicating that EQ is aligned with personality aspects in shaping students' identities.