THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ANXIETY AND EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE IN SCHOOL PRINCIPALS IN THE CONTEXT OF IMPROVING MANAGEMENT QUALITY

Abstract

The article examines the impact of anxiety levels among heads of general education institutions on the quality of managerial activity and the overall functioning of the teaching staff. It is emphasized that under conditions of continuous changes in the education system and increasing demands on schools, leaders face high levels of professional and emotional stress. This negatively affects not only their personal effectiveness but also the overall psychological climate within the staff.

The theoretical part of the article substantiates the concept of anxiety, considers its types (state and trait anxiety), and analyzes its relationship with the level of emotional intelligence. The empirical part is based on a study conducted within the framework of the «Zhana Buyn Mektebi»project in five schools of the Atyrau region. The sample included 15 school leaders. Diagnostic methods were used to assess anxiety levels and evaluate components of emotional intelligence according to the EQ and IEPP© model (V. Shimanskaya).

The results revealed varying levels of anxiety among school leaders and confirmed the presence of an inverse relationship between emotional intelligence and anxiety. A professional development program aimed at enhancing leaders’ emotional intelligence is presented as a means of preventing professional burnout, strengthening emotional resilience, and improving the quality of management. The conclusion emphasizes the importance of “emotional leadership” in the educational environment and offers practical recommendations for implementing systematic work on emotional intelligence in schools.