Authors: Bernard Yaw Sekyi Acquah (University of Cape Coast, Ghana) and Doris Dziedzorm Agbo (University of Cape Coast , Ghana)
Abstract: The study examined the moderating role of teacher background characteristics on the influence of emotional intelligence on the self-efficacy of Economics teachers in senior high schools. The model testing correlational research design was employed for the study. Eighty-eight (88) senior high school economics teachers participated in the study, from an initial accessible population of 300. The General Self-Efficacy scale developed by Schwarzer and Jerusalem (1995) and the Quick Emotional Intelligence Self-Assessment scale developed by Mohapel (2015) were adapted to measure economics teachers’ self-efficacy and emotional intelligence, respectively. The reliability and validity of the instruments were established using Cronbach’s alpha, composite reliability and convergent validity. Smart-PLS (Partial Least Square modelling) was used to estimate the model to establish the relationship among teachers’ background characteristics, emotional intelligence and self-efficacy. The study revealed that senior high school economics teachers’ marital status, gender and teaching experience affected their emotional intelligence and selfefficacy in teaching economics. Economics teachers’ emotional intelligence affected their selfefficacy. However, teachers’ marital status, gender and teaching experience did not moderate the effect of emotional intelligence on the self efficacy of economics teachers. It is recommended that training interventions by the Ghana Education Service, Continuous Professional Development service providers and other educational stakeholders be channeled towards improving selfconcepts, especially emotional intelligence and teachers’ self efficacy. Training for teachers on emotional intelligence and self-efficacy should be targeted based on their gender, marital status and teaching experience, as they differed significantly on these self-concepts in terms of these background characteristics.