Analysis of Emotional Intelligence and Locus of Control as Predictors of Teachers Instructional Leadership in Calabar Education Zone, Cross River State, Nigeria

Abstract

The effectiveness of instructional leadership in contemporary schools increasingly

depends on teachers’ psychological characteristics that influence professional

behaviour, decision-making, and interpersonal interactions. This study investigated

emotional intelligence and locus of control as predictors of instructional leadership

among public secondary school teachers in Calabar Education Zone, Cross River

State, Nigeria. The study adopted a survey-correlational research design. The

population comprised 2,313 teachers in government-owned secondary schools within

the zone. Using Yamane’s formula and multistage sampling procedures, 350 teachers

were selected. Data were collected using the Emotional Intelligence, Locus of Control

and Instructional Leadership Questionnaire (EILCILQ). The instrument was validated

by experts in Educational Psychology, Guidance and Counselling, and Measurement

and Evaluation. Reliability coefficients obtained through Cronbach Alpha were .88

for emotional intelligence, .84 for locus of control, and .91 for instructional

leadership, with an overall reliability coefficient of .89. Data were analysed using

mean, standard deviation, Pearson Product Moment Correlation, and Multiple

Regression Analysis at the .05 level of significance. Findings revealed that emotional

intelligence significantly predicted instructional leadership (β = .624, p < .05), while

locus of control also significantly predicted instructional leadership (β = .572, p <

.05). The combined influence of emotional intelligence and locus of control accounted

for 50.7% of the variance in instructional leadership. The study concluded that

teachers’ emotional competencies and control beliefs constitute important

psychological determinants of instructional leadership effectiveness. It was

recommended that educational authorities integrate emotional intelligence

development and leadership-oriented psychological training into teacher professional

development programmes to enhance instructional effectiveness and school

improvement.