Impact of SARS-COV2 on University Students. A Socio-economic Resilience and Emotional Intelligence Approach

University students are exposed to several changes related to their families and economic independence. The academic demands impose greater responsibilities and difficulties (Trigueros et al, The influence of emotional intelligence on resilience, test anxiety, academic stress and the Mediterranean diet. A study with university students. Environ Res Public Health 17(6):2071, 2020 [1]), a reality that worsened as a result of the pandemic between 2020 and 2021 due to the loss of social contact, economic problems, and the search for sources of income to help with family expenses, generating in students the need to abandon or postpone their studies; however, it has been possible to identify factors related to their emotional intelligence and resilience, which have allowed them to successfully cope with these difficulties. This study aims to analyze the validity and reliability of the Trait Meta-Mood Scale (TMMS-24) by combining an exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) model. The influence of emotional intelligence of Ecuadorian university students on resilience and academic performance in the context of SARS-COV-2 is analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM) in a sample of 302 Ecuadorian university students aged 18–24 years following the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The EFA and CFA validated the TMSS-24 with acceptable fit indices, demonstrating construct validity. Through SEM modeling, resilience was found to have a significant and positive mediating role between emotional intelligence and academic performance.