The effect of emotional intelligence on program completion among adult basic education students

Program completion among adult learners attending adult basic education programs has been found to be an area of struggle. Cognitive ability has always been the primary factor for determining an individual’s ability. However, non-cognitive ability has been proposed as a significant factor in academic success. Many attrition models have been developed in an effort to improve program completion and reduce attrition. The research study sample consisted of 68 adult learners attending the Appoquinimink Adult Education Program. The study focused on the effect that a course in emotional intelligence would have on program completion rates among adult learners attending adult basic education programs. The Mayor, Salovey, and Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test (MSCEIT) was used to measure emotional intelligence. The main objective was to examine the effect of a course in emotional intelligence on adult learners’ non-cognitive ability to obtain program completion. The study used a quantitative Solomon four-group design to investigate the influence of the course on emotional intelligence. The idea that emotional intelligence is teachable and learnable has not been established as fact. However, the findings of the data analysis suggested support of the proposal that emotional intelligence can be taught and learned. In addition, the findings suggested that age, gender, and ethnicity were not predictors for emotional intelligence levels among adult learners attending adult basic education programs. The findings further suggested that adult learners with higher emotional intelligence levels had an increased chance for program completion. Hence, emotional intelligence was revealed to be a strong factor for reducing attrition and increasing program completion