1. Introduction
Emotional intelligence works as an essential predictor of student learning and cognitive health [
1]. It also provides timely psychological support to cognitive engagement and study habits in the COVID-19 era. Students and teachers have managed the learning process during the pandemic through their emotional intelligence and cognitive engagement in blended learning environments [
2]. Blended learning is a hybrid learning approach that combines online learning opportunities and the traditional classroom approach. Higher education institutions have managed the issue of campus closure by shifting classes from face-to-face to online [
3]. The situation may affect students’ study habits. Such circumstances provoked the authors to explore the connection between emotional intelligence, cognitive engagement, and study habits in blended learning environments.
Emotional intelligence (EI) is a key area of psychology and an important factor in the academic life of students [
4]. It deals with deviant behavior through self-awareness and self-motivation, regulates emotional and social skills, and converts emotional energy into positive energy [
5]. Researchers have examined the connection between emotional intelligence with other variables, such as stress management, exam anxiety, and problem-solving abilities. Furthermore, some have posited that students with high emotional intelligence perform well in dealing with academic challenges [
4]. Researchers Parker, et al. [
6] concluded that EI is a positive predictor in learning. In this study, the emotional intelligence construct was explored alongside study habits (SH) in the context of health education in China.
Study habits provide academic stability and are necessary for academic success [
7]. These habits can be improved through various practices and training [
8]. Various studies have discussed the factors that affect study habits [
9]. Universities are constantly taking measures to improve study habits [
10]. Emotional intelligence is considered an important element in developing study habits [
11].
Cognitive engagement is an essential predictor of learning in class. In cognitive engagement, students learn how previous knowledge can be utilized to relate to real-life problems and learn how to handle hands-on tasks [
12]. Cognitive engagement effectively works with intellectual factors such as self-regulation and desired learning goals [
13]. Many studies have explored cognitive engagement with different constructs in the field of educational psychology. One study [
13] concluded that cognitive engagement is positively connected with academic motivation. Cognitive engagement is a critical factor that needs to be explored in a blended learning context in China. This study explores the mediating role of cognitive engagement in the association between emotional intelligence and study habits.
Despite the previous researchers’ strong focus and interest, some gaps remain in developing interactions among emotional intelligence, cognitive engagement, and study habits. First, most of their studies concentrated on the exercise of emotional intelligence, cognitive engagement, and study habits in advanced countries such as Australia, certain European nations, the United States, Singapore, Korea, Japan, Russia, and New Zealand [
14,
15,
16]. Only a few studies have been conducted in emerging nations [
17]. Moreover, the higher education sector in the COVID-19 era focuses on blended learning mode classes and creates psychological issues owing to unpredictable situations. Therefore, it was important to explore emotional intelligence, cognitive engagement, and study habits in these circumstances [
18]. Third, few studies have explored the direct connections between EI and study habits. Given this research gap, this study investigates the influence of emotional intelligence on study habits. The next section explores the mediating effect of cognitive engagement. To offer a wide range of perspectives within the phenomenon, it also considers various variables highlighted in the literature as illuminating the connection between emotional intelligence and study habits, namely cognitive engagement. Therefore, the research questions that guide this study are as follows:
Research Question 1. How do emotional intelligence and cognitive engagement influence study habits?
Research Question 2. How does cognitive engagement mediate the relationship between emotional intelligence and study habits?
This study used a quantitative approach to examine China, focused on 338 health sciences students, and applied SEM (structural equation modeling) to test a combination of research hypotheses. This study drew on the literature in terms of theoretical, methodological, empirical, and practical implications as follows: first, it augments theory in the literature by finding the effect of emotional intelligence on the study habits of higher education students with the mediating role of cognitive engagement. It augments knowledge via the sociological perspective of COVID-19, pedagogically blended learning environments, and, geographically, from medical universities located in China. Second, the theoretical addition was escalated through partial least square equation modeling of exogenous, mediating, and endogenous constructs from the interdisciplinary perspectives of the area of psychology, instructional design, and pedagogy. Third, this study provides robust statistical evidence from an adequate number of samples selected from medical students. Finally, the study has practical implications for higher education policy makers in the field of medical education, curriculum development, and instructional design during emergencies such as the COVID-19 pandemic. This study will be helpful for medical education stakeholders to understand the psychological, sociological, and instructional environmental aspects of students as they continue their education in blended learning.
The authors organized the rest of the study as follows: Part two contains the literature review and conceptual framework with hypotheses formulation; Part 3 describes the research methodology; Part 4 comprises data analysis and interpretation; and Part 5 discusses the results. Parts 6 and 7 supply the conclusions and implications, respectively.
3. Research Methods
We selected the higher education sector in an emerging part of China as the site of our research for the following reasons. The majority of previous studies related to the area were executed in developed countries. There is relatively less research in emerging countries with a diverse approach to study skills in blended learning courses. Currently, China is establishing a blended learning setup in its higher education system, which creates an impetus for the research. COVID-19 has affected student study habits across the world, as well as across Chinese universities. Therefore, it was important to investigate how emotional intelligence and cognitive engagement influence study habits among health sciences students during COVID-19. Furthermore, the site was accessible to the authors. We used a cross-sectional survey approach for the study. A survey questionnaire was used to collect data for the study. The questionnaire was divided into three sections: (1) orientation (research purpose, confidentiality, privacy, and anonymity), (2) demographic information (gender, background, age, and field of study), (3) and constructs of related items (emotional intelligence, cognitive engagement, and study habits).
3.1. Questionnaire Design
We used the survey questionnaire technique for the research. This technique is used for a wide range of data collection in empirical studies [
55,
56]. The questionnaire comprised twenty-six statements. Each of the statements offered respondents choices on a 7-point Likert scale. The items were adapted and modified from the work of Iqbal and Qureshi [
34], Iqbal, Qureshi and Asghar [
45], and a literature review [
57,
58,
59]. Emotional intelligence, along with its domains such as self-awareness (3-items), self-motivation (3-items), regulation of emotion (4-items), and social skills (3-items), was assessed through 13 items. Cognitive engagement was measured on 6 items, while the study habits contained 7 items. The original questionnaire was in English, and we also conducted the survey in English. A pilot study was run with 30 participants having similar profiles, and the final sample was performed to measure the reliability of the questionnaire. Based on participants’ feedback, we made corrections in terms of context adaptation, face validity appropriation, and academic writing corrections, and it was assured that all items used in the final questionnaire would be well understood by the participants; the participants filled out the questionnaires successfully.
3.2. Measures
3.2.1. Emotional Intelligence
Self-Awareness
The three items for self-awareness were adapted from the work of Iqbal and Qureshi [
34]. Three items were used for the collection of responses on a 7-point Likert scale (“strongly disagree” to “strongly agree”). Examples of items include: “I can identify my emotions in different situations” and “I know my moods are easily affected by external events”.
Self-Motivation
The three items for self-motivation were adapted from the work of Iqbal and Qureshi [
34]. Three items were used for the collection of responses on a 7-point Likert scale (“strongly disagree” to “strongly agree”). Examples of items include: “I accept responsibility for my reactions” and “I learn to do better next time”.
Regulation of Emotion
The four items for regulation of emotion were adapted from the work of Iqbal and Qureshi [
34]. Three items were used for the collection of responses on a 7-point Likert scale (“strongly disagree” to “strongly agree”). Examples of items include: “I can talk to someone if I am very upset” and “I concentrate on a pleasant activity when I am feeling low”.
Social Skills
The three items for social skills were adapted from the work of Iqbal and Qureshi [
34]. Three items were used for the collection of responses on 7-point Likert scale (“strongly disagree” to “strongly agree”). Examples of items include: “I find it easy to share my feelings with others” and “It is easy for me to make friends”.
Cognitive Engagement
The six items for cognitive engagement were adapted from the work of Iqbal, Qureshi and Asghar [
45]. Three items were used for the collection of responses on a 7-point Likert scale (“strongly disagree” to “strongly agree”). Examples of items include: “I can relate the lessons learned in the classroom with a solution to the real-life problem,” and “I engage myself in frequent debates and discussions about problems that arise in the class during a lesson.
Study Habits
The seven items for study habits were adapted from the work of Iqbal, Qureshi and Asghar [
45], Ayodele and Adebiyi [
57] and Iqbal et al. [
58]. Three items were used for the collection of responses on a 7-point Likert scale (“strongly disagree” to “strongly agree”). Examples of items include: “I do my assignments regularly” and “I attend classes regularly”.
6. Discussion
This study explored the connections between emotional intelligence and study habits through cognitive engagement among students in blended learning environments during COVID-19. The study made an effort to determine meaningful results based on the synthesized research model. Similar studies have been conducted on the same issue in advanced countries [
16,
31,
75], and only limited studies have been performed in emerging countries such as China [
41]. Furthermore, the studies that have been conducted in emerging countries reveal results only in pre-COVID-19 situations. As such, the authors claim that the present study is the first to examine the influence of emotional intelligence on the study habits of students studying in blended learning environments in Chinese universities, specifically as it focuses on cognitive engagement as a mediator variable.
First, the study measured the association between emotional intelligence and study habits. The results indicate that self-awareness and self-management positively and significantly influence study habits, which approves hypotheses H1.1 to H1.2. Prior studies also confirmed that self-awareness and self-motivation have a positive connection with study habits [
76,
77]. The relationship between emotional intelligence and study habits has been discussed in previous studies, and their results confirmed that emotional intelligence promotes a positive relationship with study habits [
78,
79]. However, in the research, the associations of emotional intelligence dimensions, regulation of emotion, and social skills were found to be positive and insignificant with regard to study habits. A plausible reason for these results could be that universities did not fully prepare their students to develop emotional intelligence in the area of regulation of emotion and social skills. There could be other reasons for these results, such as the students’ weak social skills and poor regulation of emotion owing to fewer face-to-face interactions in blended learning environments during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Second, the results show that self-awareness, self-motivation, regulation of emotion, and social skills have a positive influence on cognitive engagement, which approved hypotheses H2.1 to H2.4. Earlier studies also confirmed the connection between emotional intelligence dimensions and cognitive engagement [
80]. The researchers in Perera and DiGiacomo [
81] posited that emotional intelligence remains a positive predictor of cognitive engagement. Therefore, it was concluded that emotional intelligence dimensions are important factors which provide valuable support to cognitive engagement. Another factor which might account for increased cognitive engagement is that blended learning environments provide students with opportunities to learn virtually and face-to-face more easily, managing their engagement level more effectively during COVID-19. Their non-academic activities were limited, and as such they may have been more focused on emotional well-being, which ultimately increased their cognitive engagement in blended environments.
Third, the results of the study reveal the direct influence of cognitive engagement on study habits, which approved hypothesis H3. Previous research also confirms that cognitive engagement has a positive effect on study habits [
42]. Researchers Bilge, Tuzgol Dost and Cetin [
30] examined the relationship between student engagement and study habits among students; the results of the study found that student engagement has a positive relationship with study habits. Thus, it was concluded that cognitive engagement has a positive role in developing study habits. There could be other reasons that enhance the relationship, such as efficient internet access, smart phone access, efficient teachers, and more developed emotional intelligence and cognitive engagement in blended learning environments, such as during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Fourth, the mediated relationship also indicated significant results, which constitutes an original contribution to the research in the context of China. Cognitive engagement mediated the connection between emotional intelligence dimensions (self-awareness, self-motivation, regulation of emotion, and social skills) and study habits, which approved our intuitions in hypotheses H4.1 to H4.4. The results of a prior study supported our results that cognitive engagement mediated the relationship between EI and study habits [
82]. Researchers Pietarinen, Soini and Pyhältö [
54] have suggested that the relationship between cognitive engagement and study habits, along with emotional intelligence and academic outcomes, needs to be examined further. Thus, it was deduced and proved that cognitive engagement and emotional intelligence (self-awareness, self-motivation, regulation of emotion, and social skills) are the main predictors of study habits in blended learning environments in China during the COVID-19 pandemic.
7. Conclusions
The synthesized research model was developed based on the previous literature [
27,
30,
54]. The results reveal direct associations between emotional intelligence, cognitive engagement and study skills in an emerging country, China, during COVID-19. The study indicates that certain emotional intelligence dimensions (self-awareness and self-motivation) have a direct, positive, and significant impact on study habits. The other two dimensions of emotional intelligence (regulation of emotions and social skills) have an insignificant positive influence on study habits. The results also reveal that emotional intelligence dimensions such as self-awareness, self-motivation, regulation of emotion, and social skills have a positive and significant effect on cognitive engagement in blended learning environments. Additionally, the results indicate that cognitive engagement has a positive role in improving study habits. Moreover, our results indicate that all four emotional intelligence dimensions, including self-awareness, self-motivation, regulation of emotion, and social skills, have an indirect, positive, and significant influence on study habits through cognitive engagement in COVID-19.
The results could be interpreted as follows: in the higher education sector, self-awareness and self-motivation are positive predictors of study habits among students. On the other hand, it was concluded that emotional intelligence dimensions such as regulation of emotion and social skills were not associated with study habits. Similarly, emotional intelligence (self-awareness, self-motivation, regulation of emotion, and social skills) is considered a critical predictor for developing cognitive engagement. Furthermore, cognitive engagement has a very significant role in developing and improving study habits. Likewise, it was concluded that cognitive engagement, along with emotional intelligence, improved study habits. It is very important to understand that students who are intelligent and disciplined to begin with will maintain good study habits in any conditions. Students with advanced levels of emotional intelligence likely have a high level of cognitive engagement in any conditions. These conclusions provide the understanding that people who work in higher education can increase the level of emotional intelligence of their students through organizing cohort courses, boot camps, seminars, and workshops, and also by offering integrated courses to their students. Specifically, emotional intelligence, particularly in regard to regulation of emotion and social skills, requires special care for students. Emotional intelligence not only enhances cognitive engagement but also improves study habits directly and indirectly.
7.1. Implications
Emotional intelligence and cognitive engagement are significant factors in developing study habits among students. The COVID-19 pandemic created a disrupted environment, and universities shifted their teaching to blended learning modes to cope with the pandemic’s challenges. It is expected that the universities will pay attention to factors that influence study habits. Universities in China should pay more attention to students’ emotional intelligence and cognitive engagement as a means of promoting study habits in blended learning environments. Emotional intelligence and cognitive engagement could be effective ways to cope with pandemic conditions in emerging countries such as China. Universities should offer emotional intelligence courses and increase students’ cognitive engagement levels so that students might develop better study habits.
This study suggests some practical implications to improve study habits among students in blended learning environments. First, universities should introduce an integrated curriculum of emotional intelligence and cognitive engagement to develop study habits among students. Second, it is very important for teachers to make sure one’s teaching is effective in both delivering knowledge and maintaining focus on the students themselves. Teachers should identify which students have low emotional intelligence and need emotional support for cognitive engagement so that those students can improve their study habits. Third, university management should offer psychological counseling to help teachers identify emotionally weak students. Fourth, curriculum designers should promote content in emotional intelligence and cognitive engagement so that these two factors may assist students in developing their study habits.
7.2. Limitations and Future Research
Although our study has several strengths, it also encountered limitations. The participants belonged only to one country, which may have led to cultural bias and affected the generalizability of the results. To address this deficiency, studies in other cultural situations within China—as well as in other countries—are needed. Furthermore, the data were collected only from health sciences students; students from the social sciences, business sciences, and natural sciences were not included in the study. Future research should include students from social science, business sciences, and natural sciences. This study investigated the relationships among emotional intelligence, cognitive engagement and students’ study habits; it would be a valuable addition to the present work for researchers to investigate the relationship between emotional intelligence and self-growth, using social skills as a mediating variable. Our theoretical model covered three main latent variables, emotional intelligence, cognitive engagement and study habits, along with two control variables, gender and age. Future research may supplement this background information with additional control variables such as internet access and speed, with computer devices as mediating variables.