Probing the mediating effects of self-efficacy and optimism on the relationship between emotional intelligence and resilience among students

This study examined the mediating roles of self-efficacy and optimism in the association between emotional intelligence and resilience among undergraduate management students in Bengaluru, India. A quantitative cross-sectional survey was conducted with 356 students. Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) examined the hypothesised relationships. Emotional intelligence was positively associated with resilience (β = 0.391, p < .001), self-efficacy (β = 0.522, p < .001), and optimism (β = 0.685, p < .001). Self-efficacy (β = 0.173, p = .001) and optimism (β = 0.244, p < .001) were positively associated with resilience. Both self-efficacy (β = 0.090, 95% BCa CI [0.033, 0.151]) and optimism (β = 0.167, 95% BCa CI [0.068, 0.271]) significantly mediated this association. Integrating Positive Psychology, Social Cognitive Theory, and Conservation of Resources Theory, the findings highlight complementary cognitive and affective pathways linking emotional intelligence with resilience among university students.