Moderating Effect of Age on the Link of Emotional Intelligence and Mental Health among High School Students

This study examined whether, Emotional Intelligence (EI) can be considered as predictor for mental health and explored also the moderating effect of age on the link between EI with mental health among high school students. The participants in the study included 10th, 11th, and 12th grade students from 8 public high schools in Gorgan City, north of Iran. They were 247 high school students, specifically comprised of 124 boys and 123 girls, age ranged between 15 to 17 years old (83, Fifteen; 82, Sixteen; 82, Seventeen). The research design was an ex post facto and tested of alternative hypotheses. Two valid and reliable instruments were used to measure EI and mental health. Data analysis included frequencies, percentages, mean scores, simple regressions and moderated regressions. The result demonstrated that mental health can be influences by EI. In addition, age is not significant moderator for the relationships between EI with mental health.