ABSTRACT

 The purpose ofthe study was to determine the relationship among emotional intelligence, locus of control and achievement in Mathematics among senior secondary school students in Abia State. Eight research questions and eight null hypotheses tested at 0.05 levels of significance guided the study. The study adopted a correlational research design. A total of 807 SS II students drawn from the population of 16,140 students through multistage sampling techniques made up the sample for the study. Three instruments namely, Students’ Multifactor Emotional Intelligence Rating Scale(SMEIRS), Students’ Locus of Control Rating Scale (SLCRS) and Mathematics Achievement Test (MAT) were developed, validated and used for the study. The stability of the instruments was determined using Pearson’s Product Moment Correlation Coefficient and reliability estimates of 0.77, 0.80 and 0.74 for SMEIRS, SLCRS and MAT were got respectively. The internal consistency of the instruments were calculated using Cronbach Alpha procedure and reliability estimates of .79, .88 and .78 were got for SMEIRS, SLCRS and MAT respectively. Data obtained through the administration of the instruments were analyzed using mean and simple percentages to answer the research questions while Person’s r, R2 (coefficient of determination), ANOVA and multiple regression analyses were used to test the null hypotheses at 0.05 levels of significance which revealed the following findings: A positive and significant relationship exists among emotional perception, emotional assimilation, emotional understanding and emotional ' management and the academic achievement of students in Mathematics respectively in Abia State. The interaction effect of emotional intelligence (emotional perception, emotional assimilation, emotional understanding and emotional management) had a very high percentage contribution of 94%. However, emotional management has the highest percentage contribution of 32%; followed by emotional understanding with 26%; emotional perception with 21% and lastly emotional assimilation which predicted 19% ofthe students’ academic achievement in Mathematics. A positive and significant relationship exists among internal and external locus of control and academic achievement of students in Mathematics respectively in Abia State. The interaction effect of internal and external loci of control had a very high percentage contribution of 91%.However, internal locus of control predicted 66% while external locus of control predicted 34% ofthe students’ academic achievement in Mathematics. Among the educational implications was that the study could provide supportive framework from which one can assess how students explore the environment and master challenges within the environment. It was thus recommended that parents or guardians should foster their children on the importance of emotional intelligence and locus of control in academic achievement