The Association between Emotional Intelligence and Sexual Risk Behavior among Undergraduate College Students in the Greater Los Angeles

Sexual risk behaviors pose a major public health problem. However, sufficient research has not been done on the relationship between health risk behaviors and emotional intelligence. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between emotional intelligence, and sexual, smoking, and alcohol behavior among young adults. As well as explore the relationship between health risk behaviors. Emotional intelligence and sexual, alcohol, and smoking behavior of undergraduate college students from the greater Los Angeles area was assessed through an anonymous online questionnaire (n=80). There was no significant difference found in emotional intelligence between college students engaging in risk behaviors and college students not engaging in risk behaviors, for all risk behaviors assessed. However, there was a strong correlation found between college students engagement in different risk behaviors. These results indicate there is no significant relationship between emotional intelligence and health risk behaviors. Research about this relationship can be useful in designing interventions that reduce negative health outcome associated with health risk behaviors.