the Structural Equation Model Analysis of Factors Influencing the Emotional Intelligence of Upper Secondary School Students in Special Classrooms under the Phitsanulok-Uttaradit Secondary Educational Service Area Office

Abstract

This study aimed to develop a structural equation model of factors influencing emotional intelligence (EI) among upper secondary students in special classrooms under the Phitsanulok-Uttaradit Secondary Educational Service Area Office and to examine its goodness of fit with empirical data. The sample consisted of 350 students from four SMTE schools—Phitsanulok Pittayakom, Chalermkwansatri, Uttaradit, and Uttaradit Darunee—selected through multi-stage random sampling. Data were collected using a 53-item emotional intelligence questionnaire on a five-point Likert scale and analyzed using basic statistical methods, Pearson’s correlation coefficient, and structural equation modeling (SEM). The results indicated that the developed structural equation model comprised three components and ten observable variables, with correlation coefficients ranging from 0.198 to 0.640, all statistically significant at the .05 level. The structural validity analysis confirmed that all three components had factor loadings between 0.536 and 0.790, demonstrating statistical significance at the .05 level. Additionally, the model showed a good fit with empirical data (p = 0.831, CFI = 0.991, TLI = 0.984, RMSEA = 0.034, SRMR = 0.032). The factor loadings of all ten observable variables confirmed construct validity, and the observable variables collectively explained 28.7% to 62.4% of the variance among the three components, indicating that the developed model effectively represents the factors influencing emotional intelligence among upper secondary students in special classrooms.