Table 3 Comparison of mean and mean structures of emotional intelligence and stress before, immediately after the intervention and three months later in the experimental and control groups

Self-awareness

Experimental

21.29

6.39

24.04

6.33

24.30

6.25

0.01

Control

21.23

6.46

21.27

6.41

21.41

6.20

0.14

P-value**

0.95

0.041

0.042

Self-management

Experimental

26.76

7.93

29.95

7.60

29.40

7.76

0.02

Control

26.43

8.09

26.49

7.92

26.46

8.01

0.52

P-value**

0.81

0.035

0.044

Social awareness

Experimental

17.87

4.31

19.89

4.25

19.70

4.17

0.03

Control

17.64

4.12

17.56

4.17

17.61

4.19

0.40

P-value**

0.75

0.002

0.005

Relationship management

Experimental

22.55

7.53

24.24

7.60

24.40

7.74

0.04

Control

22.30

6.25

22.49

6.05

22.50

6.19

0.09

P-value**

0.84

0.048

0.026

Conflict

Experimental

10.27

3.63

8.29

3.83

8.13

3.57

0.011

Control

9.44

3.64

9.40

3.83

9.26

3.71

0.16

P-value***

0.170

0.043

0.044

Changes

Experimental

10.04

3.68

9.70

3.41

9.52

3.54

0.77

Control

10.01

3.32

10.06

3.70

10.29

3.45

0.32

P-value***

0.822

0.416

0.169

Pressure

Experimental

13.38

11.90

11.90

3.63

11.09

3.73

0.025

Control

13.23

13.30

13.30

3.84

13.43

3.70

0.22

P-value***

0.929

0.054

0.049

Failure

Experimental

19.73

18.46

18.46

3.15

18.38

3.10

0.05

Control

20.53

20.81

20.81

3.60

20.72

3.69

0.23

P-value***

0.141

 < 0.001

 < 0.001

Self-imposed stress

Experimental

21.70

4.10

20.56

4.07

20.43

3.80

0.043

Control

21.86

4.21

21.76

4.10

21.93

4.21

0.46

P-value**

0.83

0.09

0.03

Physiological response

Experimental

30.84

7.59

28.58

6.84

28.21

7.12

0.011

Control

29.93

6.00

29.89

6.22

30.58

6.13

0.12

P-value**

0.451

0.025

0.044

Emotional response

Experimental

15.58

2.60

13.95

2.75

13.16

2.57

0.025

Control

15.06

2.58

15.18

2.41

15.18

2.62

0.41

P-value**

0.25

0.008

0.02

Behavioral response

Experimental

19.49

5.62

17.84

5.64

17.63

5.15

0.040

Control

19.32

5.75

19.47

5.76

19.58

5.83

0.20

P-value**

0.866

0.031

0.045

Cognitive response

Experimental

7.40

1.99

7.30

1.99

7.24

1.70

0.49

Control

7.47

2.05

7.29

2.19

7.36

1.84

0.59

P-value***

0.804

0.946

0.605

Total academic stress

Experimental

148.47

15.92

137.63

15.83

24.40

7.74

0.04

Control

146.89

13.25

147.20

13.75

22.50

6.19

0.09

P-value**

0.539

0.001

 < 0.001