Gender Differences in Emotional Intelligence Among University Undergraduates in Rivers State

This study examines gender differences in emotional intelligence among undergraduate students at the University of Port Harcourt, Rivers State, South South Nigeria. Emotional intelligence, encompassing the abilities to perceive, use, understand, and manage emotions, has been linked to academic resilience, interpersonal effectiveness, and mental health outcomes in young adults. Given the mixed evidence from global studies on whether gender shapes emotional competencies during early adulthood, this research applies a quantitative cross-sectional design to assess 380 students using the Schutte Self-Report Emotional Intelligence Test. The sample included equal proportions of male and female students drawn from six faculties. Independent samples t-test and effect size analyses were employed to determine the magnitude of gender-related differences. Results indicate that female students scored significantly higher on emotional perception and empathy subscales, while no significant gender differences were found on emotional regulation and utilisation. These findings partially align with sociocultural explanations that attribute emotional expressiveness in females to early socialisation patterns. The study recommends that university counselling centres incorporate gender-responsive emotional competence training into orientation and student development programmes. Building emotional intelligence among male students, particularly in conflict resolution and empathy, is identified as a priority. Keywords: emotional intelligence, gender differences, undergraduates, Rivers State, emotional regulation.