V.R. Akshayalakshmi and M. Vinothkumar
Bharathiar University, Coimbatore
Pages: 75-83
Adolescence is a developmental phase characterized by substantial changes and
vulnerability. During this period, individuals often struggle with emotional challenges,
including anxiety, depression, and difficulty regulating emotions, which can impact
their mental health, relationships, and academic performance. This highlights the critical
need for interventions to improve emotional competencies among adolescents. The
objective of this study is to investigate the impact of Mindfulness Based Cognitive
Therapy (MBCT) on emotional intelligence in senior secondary school students (ages
16-18). Out of 203 students screened using the Brief Emotional Intelligence Scale, 146
participants with below average and average emotional intelligence were selected and
assigned to an experimental group and a waitlist control group. Each group initially
had 73 participants. Subsequently, one participant withdrew from the experimental
group, resulting in 72 participants in the experimental group and 73 in the control
group. The intervention comprised 16 sessions aimed at enhancing emotional
competencies. Paired sample t-tests revealed significant improvements in emotional
intelligence for the experimental group post-intervention, while the control group showed
no significant changes. These findings emphasize the effectiveness of the intervention
in promoting emotional intelligence among adolescents, indicating its potential
application in educational settings.