THE INFLUENCE OF EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE ON ROMANTIC RELATIONSHIP SATISFACTION AMONG UNIVERSITY OF BENIN STUDENTS

This study investigated the influence of emotional intelligence on romantic relationship satisfaction among university students in Nigeria. The study was guided by four research questions. A descriptive survey research method was adopted, and the sample size consisted of 172 final-year undergraduate students from the Faculty of Education at the University of Benin, Nigeria. The data were collected using a structured questionnaire titled "Emotional Intelligence and Romantic Relationship Satisfaction Questionnaire (EIRRSQ)" and analyzed using descriptive statistics, specifically mean and standard deviation. The findings of the study revealed a high level of emotional intelligence among the respondents, with a grand mean score of 3.11, and a high level of romantic relationship satisfaction, with a grand mean score of 3.14. The study concluded that there is a positive relationship between emotional intelligence and romantic relationship satisfaction. Specifically, emotional intelligence traits such as self-awareness, self-regulation, empathy, and social skills significantly influenced the satisfaction levels in romantic relationships. It was recommended that universities integrate emotional intelligence training into their curricula and offer counseling services to support students in developing emotional skills that promote healthy and satisfying relationships.