Social-Emotional Intelligence of Undergraduate University Students in Intimate Relationships in Nairobi, Kenya: A Gender Differences Perspective

Most undergraduate students in universities are in the young adulthood stage of development, in which intimate relationships are part of key tasks. Central to intimate relationships are emotions, which play a crucial role in determining whether a relationship flourishes or decays. Capacity to manage emotions of self and others-also known as social-emotional intelligence-powered by its dimensions; emotional perception, utilization, and management of self and others-has been found to enhance individual capacity to relate with others, enhancing the possibilities of experiencing relationship satisfaction. However, most past studies have recorded inconsistent social-emotional intelligence (SEI) levels, gender-based differences, and context have differed from that of intimate relationships. The study was an attempt to investigate if there are significant gender differences in social-emotional intelligence in a sample of (n = 399) undergraduate students in universities engaged in intimate relationships in Nairobi County, Kenya. A survey design was used, and multistage sampling was used to select 234 female and 186 male students. Analysis of the data indicate moderate levels of social-emotional intelligence among undergraduate students in intimate relationships. The emotional perception dimension of social-emotional intelligence shows a statistically significant difference between the genders. However, the study findings reveal that gender should not be a deterrent when exposing students to social-emotional learning.