The Role of Emotional Intelligence and Frustration Intolerance in the Academic Performance of University Students: A Structural Equation Model

Abstract

This study examines how emotional intelligence and frustration intolerance influence academic performance in university students, drawing on the Job Demands–Resources model—which frames academic success as a balance between psychological demands (such as frustration intolerance) and personal resources (like emotional intelligence)—and Self-Determination Theory, which explains how motivation and self-regulation contribute to adaptation and persistence in challenging contexts. A sample of 630 undergraduates across various disciplines completed validated measures of emotional intelligence, frustration intolerance, academic burnout, academic engagement, and grade point average. Structural equation modeling analyzed relationships among these variables. The results showed that emotional intelligence positively predicted academic performance both directly and indirectly by increasing engagement and reducing burnout. Conversely, frustration intolerance negatively affected academic performance through increased burnout and decreased engagement. The model explained 24 percent of the variance in academic performance. These findings indicate that academic achievement depends on managing the balance between psychological demands and personal resources. Frustration intolerance acts as a psychological demand increasing vulnerability to exhaustion and disengagement, while emotional intelligence serves as a personal resource supporting self-regulation, motivation, and persistence. This highlights the importance of fostering emotional skills and frustration tolerance in higher education to help students cope better with academic challenges and improve performance.