Document Type : Original Article
Authors
1 Associate Professor, Department of knowledge & Information Science, Azarbaijan Shahid Madani University, Tabriz, Iran
2 PhD in Sociology, Department of Social Sciences, Faculty of Law and Social Sciences, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran
10.22034/jkrs.2025.20683
Abstract
Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the status of emotional intelligence, information literacy, and library anxiety among postgraduate students at Azarbaijan Shahid Madani University and to examine the mediating role of information literacy in the relationship between emotional intelligence and library anxiety.
Methodology: This research employed a descriptive-correlational design and was analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM). The study population consisted of all postgraduate students at Azarbaijan Shahid Madani University in the academic year 2023–2024 (N = 2218). A sample of 340 students was selected using simple random sampling. Data were collected using three standardized questionnaires: the Schutte Self-Report Emotional Intelligence Test (SSEIT, 1998), the Yazdani Information Literacy Scale (2012), and the Shahbazi et al. Library Anxiety Scale (2022). The reliability of the instruments, as measured by Cronbach’s alpha, was 0.89, 0.85, and 0.81, respectively. Data analysis was performed using both descriptive and inferential statistics via SPSS and AMOS software.
Findings: The mean scores for emotional intelligence, information literacy, and library anxiety among the postgraduate students were 3.13, 3.24, and 3.08, respectively (on a scale where a lower score for anxiety is favorable). The results indicated significant correlations among all three variables. Importantly, the structural equation model confirmed that information literacy plays a significant mediating role in the relationship between emotional intelligence and library anxiety, with an indirect effect coefficient of -0.18 (product of paths: -0.47 × 0.38).
Conclusion: The findings demonstrate that higher emotional intelligence is associated with reduced library anxiety, both directly and indirectly through the enhancement of information literacy skills. This suggests that fostering emotional intelligence and information literacy competencies in students can effectively mitigate the stress associated with library use.
Value: This study is the first to empirically investigate and model the tripartite relationship between emotional intelligence, information literacy, and library anxiety using structural equation modeling, thereby offering a more nuanced understanding of the factors influencing library anxiety.
Keywords
- Emotional Intelligence
- Information Literacy
- Library Anxiety
- Graduate Students
- Structural Equation Modeling
- Azarbaijan Shahid Madani University
Main Subjects
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