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Department of Educational and Psychological Service, Roudhen Branch, Islamic Azad University, Roudhen, Iran. , Hpssr@yahoo.com
Abstract: (34 Views)
Background: Happiness is a core component of psychological well-being during adolescence, and previous research has demonstrated a positive relationship between happiness and emotional intelligence. However, the psychological mechanisms underlying this relationship, particularly in adolescent populations, have received limited empirical attention. Tolerance of ambiguity, as a cognitive–emotional construct, may serve as a mediating mechanism between emotional intelligence and happiness, yet research evidence in this area remains scarce.
Objective: The present study aimed to examine the mediating role of tolerance of ambiguity in the relationship between emotional intelligence and happiness among high school students.
Methods: This study employed a descriptive–correlational design using path analysis. The study population consisted of all eleventh-grade high school students in Tehran during the 2024–2025 academic year. A total of 365 students (188 girls and 177 boys) were selected through multistage cluster sampling. Data were collected using the Oxford Happiness Questionnaire (Hill & Argyle, 2002), the Schutte Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire based on Goleman’s model (Schutte et al., 1998), and the McLain Tolerance of Ambiguity Scale (McLain, 1993). Pearson correlation coefficients and path analysis were conducted using AMOS version 24.
Results: The findings indicated a significant positive relationship between emotional intelligence and happiness (r = .419, p < .001). Emotional intelligence was also positively and significantly associated with tolerance of ambiguity (r = .268, p < .001), and tolerance of ambiguity showed a significant positive correlation with happiness (r = .270, p < .01). Path analysis revealed that emotional intelligence had a significant direct effect on happiness (β = .292, p < .001) and also exerted a significant indirect effect on happiness through tolerance of ambiguity (β = .045, p < .05). Model fit indices confirmed an adequate fit of the final model.
Conclusion: The results suggest that tolerance of ambiguity plays a partial mediating role in the relationship between emotional intelligence and happiness among adolescents. From an applied perspective, these findings highlight the importance of designing and implementing school-based educational programs and psychological interventions that focus on enhancing emotional intelligence and increasing tolerance of ambiguity, as such interventions may promote happiness, psychological adjustment, and mental health in adolescents.
Objective: The present study aimed to examine the mediating role of tolerance of ambiguity in the relationship between emotional intelligence and happiness among high school students.
Methods: This study employed a descriptive–correlational design using path analysis. The study population consisted of all eleventh-grade high school students in Tehran during the 2024–2025 academic year. A total of 365 students (188 girls and 177 boys) were selected through multistage cluster sampling. Data were collected using the Oxford Happiness Questionnaire (Hill & Argyle, 2002), the Schutte Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire based on Goleman’s model (Schutte et al., 1998), and the McLain Tolerance of Ambiguity Scale (McLain, 1993). Pearson correlation coefficients and path analysis were conducted using AMOS version 24.
Results: The findings indicated a significant positive relationship between emotional intelligence and happiness (r = .419, p < .001). Emotional intelligence was also positively and significantly associated with tolerance of ambiguity (r = .268, p < .001), and tolerance of ambiguity showed a significant positive correlation with happiness (r = .270, p < .01). Path analysis revealed that emotional intelligence had a significant direct effect on happiness (β = .292, p < .001) and also exerted a significant indirect effect on happiness through tolerance of ambiguity (β = .045, p < .05). Model fit indices confirmed an adequate fit of the final model.
Conclusion: The results suggest that tolerance of ambiguity plays a partial mediating role in the relationship between emotional intelligence and happiness among adolescents. From an applied perspective, these findings highlight the importance of designing and implementing school-based educational programs and psychological interventions that focus on enhancing emotional intelligence and increasing tolerance of ambiguity, as such interventions may promote happiness, psychological adjustment, and mental health in adolescents.
Article number: 12
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This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)