Chinedu Hilary Njah-Joseph, Ph.D
Abstract
This study investigated personality profile as correlates of emotional intelligence of counsellors in Secondary Schools. Two research questions and one hypothesis were raised and tested respectively at .05 level of significance. A correlational design was employed. The population of this study comprised of Students in Secondary School in selected South Western states of Nigeria. A sample size of Five hundred and Eighty (580) SSS III students was drawn from fifteen (15) secondary schools using the multi-stage sampling technique. The researcher adapted The Big Five Personality Inventory (BFPI) and Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire (EIQ) as research instruments. The instruments were validated and the reliability of the instruments was established using Cronbach Alpha statistics which yielded reliability coefficients of 0.878 and 0.922 for the two instruments. Data analyses were carried out using Pearson Product Moment Correlation. The findings of the study revealed that counsellors in senior secondary schools possess the attributes of Big five personality dimension and competencies of emotional intelligence in a measure above average. Also, personality relates with emotional intelligence significantly and positively. Hence, the researcher concluded that personality correlates with emotional intelligence. Based on the findings of the study, it is recommended that it is essential that counsellors ensure conscious and continuous self-assessment so as to improve their level of emotional intelligence and the quantity of measure of personality in order to promote counselling relationship.