Stress and substance use : the impact of emotional intelligence

Abstract

Stress has become a major health concern which is continuously increasing among university students. Substance use is known to be a key risk behaviour in coping with stress, especially among individuals who have a low emotional intelligence. Whilst individuals with a high emotional intelligence are known to be happier and more successful, individuals with a low emotional intelligence are more susceptible to adapt to maladaptive coping strategies, for instance, substance use. This dissertation aims to investigate the relationship between emotional intelligence, stress and substance use amongst students at the University of Malta. 128 undergraduate students studying at the University of Malta completed a questionnaire regarding the frequencies of substance use, stress levels, and emotional intelligence levels, which was further measured using the TEIQue-SF (30-item) (Petrides & Furnham, 2006). The results indicate weak relationships between stress levels and substance use, emotional intelligence and smoking, and emotional intelligence and alcohol consumption. However, they also indicate a significant relationship between emotional intelligence and stress levels, and another between emotional intelligence and drug use.