The relationships between emotional intelligence, peer pressure and alcohol consumption in adolescence

Emocionalna inteligencija je sposobnost koja se iskazuje u gotovo svim aspektima života i funkcioniranja pojedinca. Osobe visoke emocionalne inteligencije se lakše nose sa životnim izazovima i vanjskim pritiscima te bolje raspoznaju vlastite emocije, ali i emocije i namjere drugih osoba. Te sposobnosti mogu igrati veliku ulogu pri donošenju odluka, ali i izražavanju vlastitog mišljenja. Zbog tih značajki emocionalne inteligencije postavlja se pitanje njenog značaja u periodu adolescencije odnosno može li visoka emocionalna inteligencija služiti kao zaštitni faktor od negativnih ponašanja u adolescenciji. Adolescencija je period života kada se stvara identitet. Adolescenti tada pronalaze sebe i skloniji su eksperimentiranju i rizičnim ponašanjima od drugih dobnih skupina. U adolescenciji je jako izražena i potreba za pripadanjem nekoj grupi vršnjaka i želja za prihvaćanjem od istih zbog čega je adolescentima mišljenje vršnjaka veoma važno. Cilj ovog istraživanja bio je ispitati odnose između emocionalne inteligencije, vršnjačkog pritiska i konzumiranja alkohola u adolescenciji. Ispitivale su se i razlike s obzirom na spol. U istraživanju je sudjelovao 81 učenik završnih razreda srednje škole, 46 djevojaka i 35 mladića prosječne dobi 18 godina. Rezultati su pokazali pozitivnu povezanost između vršnjačkog pritiska i konzumiranja alkohola te negativne povezanosti između emocionalne inteligencije i konzumiranja alkohola te emocionalne inteligencije i vršnjačkog pritiska. Viša emocionalna inteligencija se povezuje s manjom sklonosti konzumiranja alkohola, ali i boljom otpornosti na vršnjački pritisak. Adolescenti koji su podložniji vršnjačkom pritisku konzumiraju više alkohola. Razlike između mladića i djevojaka nisu utvrđene u razini emocionalne inteligencije niti vršnjačkog pritiska. Mladići izvještavaju o učestalijem i većem konzumiranju alkohola.Emotional intelligence is ability that can be seen in almost all aspects of life and functioning of an individual. Persons with high emotional intelligence have less problems in dealing with life challenges and external pressures and are better in understanding their own emotions and the emotions and intentions of others. Such abilities can play an important role in making decisions or expressing own opinion. These characteristics of emotional intelligence make us wonder about it's importance in adolescence, or in other words could emotional intelligence be a protective factor when it comes to negative behaviors in adolescence. Adolescence is a period of life when identity is formed. Adolescents are in the phase of finding themselves and are more engaged in risky behaviors and experimenting than other age groups. In adolescence there is a great need to belong to and be accepted by group of peers. That makes opinion of peers important. The aim of this study was to examine relationships between emotional intelligence, peer pressure and alcohol consumption in adolescence. Gender differences were also examined. The study was conducted on 81 participants and three questionnaires were used. Of total 81, 46 were girls and 35 boys. All of them were attendind the final grade of high school and were 18 years of age in average. The results showed a positive relationship between peer pressure and alcohol consumption and negative relationships between emotional intelligence and peer pressure, and emotional intelligence and alcohol consumption. Higher emotional intelligence is linked to consuming less alcohol and to lower peer pressure on adolescent. Adolescents who are not so prone on peer pressure tend to consume more alcohol. In this study, differences between male and female participants where also questionned. Differences were not found for emotional intelligence and peer pressure but were found for alcohol consumption. More male participants consume mora alcohol and more frequently than the female participants