Emotional intelligence and its relationship to professional stress among teachers in the second stage of basic education in the schools of Hay Al-Andalus municipality

Abstract

This research aimed to explore the relationship between emotional intelligence and occupational stress among teachers in the second cycle of basic education in schools within the Al-Andalus Municipality. It also sought to identify differences in emotional intelligence and occupational stress based on gender (male teachers - female teachers), and to determine whether emotional intelligence can predict the level of occupational stress. The research sample consisted of 360 teachers from the second cycle of basic education in Al-Andalus Municipality schools, ranging in age from 25 to 59 years, with a mean age of 39.87 and a standard deviation of 5.64. The sample comprised 32 male teachers and 328 female teachers. Data was collected using the Emotional Intelligence Scale (developed by the researcher) and the Occupational Stress Scale (translated by Abdullah Muhammad Othman Muhammad, 2014). The results showed a statistically significant inverse relationship (p < 0.01) between emotional intelligence and occupational stress among teachers in the second cycle of basic education in Al-Andalus Municipality schools, and indicated differences in these relationships. The results were statistically significant at the (0.01) level in emotional intelligence and occupational stress among male and female teachers, favoring female teachers. Furthermore, the level of occupational stress can be predicted from emotional intelligence among teachers in the second cycle of basic education in the schools of the Al-Andalus district municipality.