Mediating Role of Emotional Intelligence in the Relationship of Academic Burnout and Engagement of University Students

Abstract

The mediating role of Emotional Intelligence (EI) in the academic burnout and academic engagement relationship among university students was the focus of this research. This research was carried out at the University of Sargodha, where students experience growing academic and socio-economic pressures that tend to lead to burnout and decreased engagement. Taking a quantitative correlational research design, data were obtained from 300 students distributed in the faculties of Sciences, Social Sciences, and Arts & Humanities through stratified sampling. Standardized instruments were utilized: Ulutas and Ozan's (2020) EI scale, Salmela-Aro et al.'s (2009) Academic Burnout Scale, and Schaufeli et al.'s (2002) Academic Engagement Scale. The reliability of all measures was established with Cronbach's alpha values greater than 0.80. Data were examined with SPSS (v.26) and Hayes' PROCESS Macro to examine mediation effects. The results showed moderate EI, burnout, and engagement levels among students. Correlation analysis showed that EI was inversely correlated with academic burnout and positively correlated with engagement. Mediation analysis verified that EI significantly mediated between burnout and engagement, implying that greater EI buffered the negative impact of burnout on student engagement. The conclusions emphasize the need for inclusion of EI-based training and interventions in higher education to mitigate stress, build resilience, and improve student engagement. This study adds both theoretical insight and practical approaches to enhancing student wellbeing and academic performance in the Pakistani university setting.