A Comparative Analysis of Emotional Stability and Ethical Orientation among Students of Public and Danish Educational Institutions

Abstract

Students’ psychological adjustment, moral reasoning, emotional stability and ethical orientation are interrelated and important for students’ overall educational advancement. While there is a lot of variation in the structure, resources, and learning climate of Danish (Daanish) schools and public educational institutions in Punjab, there is still very little comparative empirical data concerning the emotional and moral outcomes of students. This study sought to carry out emotional stability and ethical orientation quantitative comparative analyses for secondary-level students in public and Danish educational institutions. A cross-sectional research methodology was utilized to collect data using standard self-report measures. Emotional stability was captured through the Big Five brief emotional stability/neuroticism scale, and ethical orientation was captured using EPQ (Ethics Position Questionnaire) measures for idealism and relativism. The study’s population included 300 secondary-level students, consisting of equal numbers from public and Danish educational institutions. Analysis was conducted using descriptive statistics, independent-samples t-tests, correlation analysis, and multiple regression analysis. The results showed clear differences for variables related to the institution types, with students from Danish institutions reporting and scoring higher on emotional stability and ethical idealism, whereas public institution students attained higher scores on ethical relativism. Furthermore, emotional stability was positively correlated with ethical idealism and negatively with ethical relativism. Additionally, institutional type was controlled for, which reiterates the psychological and educational context interplay through the lens of emotional stability predicting ethics orientation. This suggests the educational institutional context uniquely shapes students’ emotional control and moral reasoning. Integrating social–emotional learning and ethics education is needed within public school frameworks to cultivate emotional stability and ethical orientation. This research substantiates educational policies, curriculum frameworks, and student wellness initiatives in Pakistan.