The effect of teachers' emotional intelligence and self-efficacy levels on their political skills: The case of Mardin

This study aims to investigate the effect of teachers' emotional intelligence and self-efficacy levels on their political skills. Emotional intelligence is defined as the ability of a person to continue his / her way despite difficult situations, to cherish the hope, to maintain his / her thinking skills and to empathize by arranging his / her mood against the difficulties. Self-efficacy is not how talented a person is in a situation, but belief of this person in his/her own abilities. Political skill is the behavior of individuals in organizations in order to reach and develop the power required for success. In this study, the data were collected by a questionnaire applied to 402 teachers working in high schools affiliated to Provincial Directorate of National Education in Artuklu, the central district of Mardin province. The questionnaire consists of three scales: 12-item Emotional Intelligence Scale, 10-item General Self-Efficacy Scale and 18-item Political Skill Scale. Data obtained from the participants were analyzed with IBM SPSS Statistics 17.00 and Lisrel 9.1 Data analysis was performed on the total scores obtained from the scales. There was no significant difference in emotional intelligence and its sub-dimensions according to teachers' gender, marital status, professional preference, age and duration of service. There was no significant difference in self-efficacy and sub-dimensions according to teachers' marital status and professional preferences. It is observed that the average of self-efficacy differs according to the gender and age of the teachers, and the average of self-efficacy differs partially according to the duration of their service. It is observed that teachers' self-efficacy averages are higher in males than females, and their self-efficacy averages increase with increasing age and service time. There was no significant difference in the political skills and sub-dimensions of teachers according to marital status, professional preference, age and duration of service. It is observed that the political skills of teachers differ partially according to their gender. It is observed that teachers' political skill averages are higher in males than females. As a result, it was found that the emotional intelligence and self-efficacy levels of teachers affect their political skills positively. As a result of multiple linear regression analysis; The rate of emotional intelligence explaining the political skill, which is the dependent variable, was R2 = 0.230. This result shows that 23% of the political skill variable can be explained by emotional intelligence. In addition, it can be said that positive emotional orientation and empathic sensitivity, which are the sub-dimensions of emotional intelligence, have an impact on political skill. It shows that 21.5% of the change in political skill can be explained by positive emotional orientation and 34% by empathic sensitivity. The rate of self-efficacy explaining the political skill, which is the dependent variable, was found to be R2 = 0.275. This result shows that 27.5% of the political skill variable can be explained by self-efficacy. In addition, it can be said that the sub-dimensions of self-efficacy, which are effort, resistance, competence and self-confidence, have effect on political skill. It shows that 44.1% of the change in political skill can be explained with effort and resistance and 11.9% with competence and self-confidence.