Teacher Leadership through Emotional Intelligence: A Gender-Comparative Study of Its Effect on Student Discipline in Lagos State, Nigeria
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.53797/anp.jssh.v6i2.10.2025Keywords:
Teacher emotional intelligence, Social-awareness, Self-awareness, Student disciplinary patterns, Leadership attributesAbstract
This study examined the predictive role of teachers’ emotional intelligence, focusing on self-awareness and social awareness, on students’ disciplinary patterns in Lagos basic schools. A quantitative correlational design was employed, using data from 260 teachers selected through multistage sampling. The Teachers’ Emotional Intelligence Scale and the Students’ Disciplinary Pattern Checklist served as data sources. Multiple regression analysis showed that emotional intelligence significantly predicted students’ disciplinary behaviour, accounting for 13.3 % of the variance. Social awareness was the only significant predictor, indicating that teachers who are more attuned to students’ emotions and social cues manage behaviour more effectively. Self-awareness showed no independent effect. An independent samples t-test revealed gender differences in social awareness, with female teachers scoring higher, while no gender differences appeared for self-awareness. The findings underscore the importance of social awareness within Goleman’s Emotional Intelligence Theory and highlight implications for teacher training and behaviour management practices in Lagos schools.
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