Although there is increasing awareness of gender discrepancies in mental health among university students, current research frequently depends on discrete statistical comparisons, neglecting the investigation of overarching emotional intelligence (EI) patterns and their relationship to psychological well-being and discomfort across genders. This constrains the capacity to develop customized, gender-sensitive therapies that cater to the distinct emotional and mental health requirements of male and female students. This research examines gender disparities in trait emotional intelligence (EI) and mental health outcomes through a multivariate approach. A cohort of 602 university students administered the TEIQUE, WHO-5, and K10 assessments. This study employed multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) to investigate collective gender disparities across all emotional intelligence subdimensions and mental health outcomes, rather than studying variables in isolation. Women had markedly superior emotional well-being, flexibility, and subjective well-being, whereas men demonstrated dramatically elevated psychological discomfort. Cross-tabulation of psychological distress categories indicated that male students are overrepresented in high-risk mental health classifications. The patterns were represented using standardized z-score radar charts, improving interpretability and practical utility. Effect sizes were computed to illustrate the clinical significance of the findings, revealing moderate to significant gender effects on emotional well-being and K10 distress. The results indicate that gender affects emotional functioning and moderates exposure to psychological distress. The profiles provide a diagnostic framework for educational institutions to customize mental health strategies based on gender. This study employs a multivariate, person-centered approach to gender analysis, transcending basic comparisons and offering a framework for gender-responsive mental health therapies. It allows universities to recognize at-risk student demographics based on gendered emotional profiles, hence improving early intervention and mental health support initiatives in higher education.

Nurwina Anuar is a senior lecturer, a chartered psychologist, and an Associate Fellow member of the British Psychological Society. She has been well trained from the UK, received her postgraduate education at two prestigious UK institutions: Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen and the University of Birmingham. Because of its universal applicability to many domains—including but not limited to education, mental health, wellness, sports, and general life—she finds great satisfaction in her work in applied psychology. The idea that one's thoughts and feelings can be such potent instruments for controlling one's actions has always fascinated her. You make an impression when you can forecast outcomes, exert influence over objects, and comprehend the interconnections between a billion neurons in your brain. She has been certain that anything related to psychology will bring her a sense of vitality ever since she fell in love with the study of human conduct and thought at a young age. She is currently delving into topics connected to applied psychology and sports and exercise psychology. Before continuing her career at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, she spent around 7 years at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia and 3 years at the University of Birmingham. Her skill and psychological expertise in serving the community through national and international community service activities has led her to her current position as deputy director of students affairs at UKM