Associations between social anxiety and emotional intelligence within clinically depressed patients

Relationship of depression with empathy, emotional intelligence, and symptoms of a weakened immune system

Introduction

Previous studies have used different individual scales to examine the relationship of depression with emotional intelligence, empathy, and immune-based diseases. In this study, we used a combination of psychometric scales to examine the relationships of depression with emotional intelligence (intrapersonal and interpersonal), empathy (affective and cognitive), and symptoms of weakened immune system.

Methods

This cross-sectional prospective study examined 158 volunteers (39 males and 119 females). A score of 10 or more on the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II) was used to define depression. The Cognitive and Affective Empathy Test (TECA) was used to assess empathy, and the Profile of Emotional Competence (PEC) was used to assess the self-perception of intrapersonal and interpersonal competence. The symptoms of a weakened immune system (WIS) were assessed by measurements of permanent tiredness, frequent infections and colds, slow wound healing, persistent and recurrent diarrhea, recurring herpes, insomnia and difficulty sleeping, and dry eyes.

Results

The total PEC score and intrapersonal PEC score had negative correlations with depression, and the WIS score had a positive correlation with depression. The TECA score had no significant correlation with depression or the WIS score, but had positive correlations with the total PEC score, intrapersonal PEC score, and interpersonal PEC score.

Conclusion

The total PEC score, intrapersonal PEC score, and WIS score were significantly associated with depression. The TECA score was not significantly associated with depression or the WIS score. Our findings suggest that improving intrapersonal emotional skills may improve function of the immune system and reduce the symptoms of depression. We suggest that further studies examine the effect of targeted improvement of interpersonal skills (empathy) on depression.

Impaired emotional intelligence is related to symptoms severity and suicidal attempts in depression

OBJECTIVE

Few studies demonstrated the impairment of perceived emotional intelligence 'EI' among depressed patients. This study aimed to assess the perceived EI in a group of depressed patients, and its association with different clinical characteristics.

METHODS

Forty-five patients diagnosed with depression were assessed by the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale and compared to 45 controls that were assessed by the Arabic version of General Health Questionnaire to exclude Psychiatric disorders. The Arabic version of Trait Meta-Mood Scale (TMMS) is used to evaluate EI in both groups.

RESULTS

Patients with depression showed significantly lower EI scores in the three parts of TMMS (repair, clarity and attention) compared to the controls (p < .001). Patients showed significant difference in clarity subscale (p = .005) and attention regarding severity of depression (p < .001). Clarity of feelings was significantly higher in patients who suffered more than two episodes (p = .012). Depressive patients with suicidal attempts showed significantly lower scores of repair (p = .044) and attention (p = .016) subscales. There were no significant differences of TMMS subscales between patients with and without suicidal ideation, sleep disturbance and somatic symptoms.

CONCLUSIONS

The current study demonstrates impaired perceived EI among patients with depression that is correlated with symptom severity and suicidal attempts.

Emotional intelligence and well-being: Associations and sex- and age-effects during adolescence

BACKGROUND

Several studies have suggested that trait and ability-based measures of emotional intelligence (EI) contribute to the promotion of well-being in adults. However, this relationship has not been sufficiently explored among adolescents.

OBJECTIVE

The present study aims to: i) investigate the associations between EI dimensions and well-being indicators (self-esteem, life satisfaction and social anxiety) in adolescents; and ii) analyze the effect of sex and age on dimensions of EI.

METHODS

The sample consisted of 1066 adolescents (57.9%girls and 42.1%boys), aged between 11 and 18 years (M = 14.36; SD = 1.58). Participants completed sociodemographic and validated psychosocial measures.

RESULTS

Correlation analysis indicated that EI dimensions (self-emotion appraisal, use of emotions and regulation of emotions) were positively and moderately correlated with self-esteem and life satisfaction, whereas associations between EI and social anxiety dimensions were small and negative. Boys reported higher levels of self-emotion appraisal, use of emotions and regulation of emotions, whereas girls showed higher levels of other-emotions appraisal. Age was negatively associated with the use of the emotions dimension and positively correlated with the emotional appraisal of others, although both correlation coefficients were small.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study findings suggest the need and importance of implementing emotional education practices during adolescence.

Correlation between emotional intelligence and negative emotions of front-line nurses during the COVID-19 epidemic: A cross-sectional study

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

The purpose of this study was to understand the emotional intelligence level (EI) and negative emotional status of the front-line nurses in the epidemic situation and to further explore the relationship between them.

BACKGROUND

During the COVID-19 epidemic, under the influence of multiple factors, nurses were vulnerable to negative emotions. While previous studies have explored, the role of emotional intelligence in negative emotions, the relationship between the two has not been sufficiently discussed in the context of COVID-19.

DESIGN

The study carried out a cross-sectional survey. The STROBE was selected as the checklist in this study.

METHODS

202 nurses from Wuhan makeshift hospital participated in the questionnaire survey. Data collection tools included a general data questionnaire designed by the researchers, Chinese version of EI scale (WLEIS-C) and Chinese version of Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS-21). Descriptive statistics, single factor analysis and correlation analysis were used to analyse the data.

RESULTS

The emotional intelligence of the front-line nurses was in the upper middle range. Among the negative emotions, anxiety was the most prominent symptom.

CONCLUSIONS

Managers should pay attention to the negative emotional problems of front-line nurses, improve their EI level and promote mental health and the progress of epidemic prevention.

RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE

Improving the level of emotional intelligence can reduce the frequency and intensity of negative emotions. In clinical work, emotional intelligence can be used as a skill to carry out relevant training, which is conducive to playing a positive role in future emergencies.

Does Emotional Intelligence Mediate the Relation Between Mindfulness and Anxiety and Depression in Adolescents?

High anxiety and depression are often observed in the Australian adolescent population, and if left untreated, can have long-term negative consequences impacting educational attainment and a range of important life outcomes. The utilization of mindfulness techniques has been associated with decreased anxiety and depression, but the underlying mechanisms for this is only beginning to be understood. Previous research with adult samples has suggested that the development of emotional intelligence (EI) may be one mechanism by which mindfulness confers its benefits on wellbeing. This study is the first to examine the relation between mindfulness, EI, anxiety, and depression in an adolescent population. It was hypothesized that EI would mediate the relationships between mindfulness and anxiety, as well as mindfulness and depression. The sample consisted of 108 adolescents from a public secondary school, aged between 13 and 15 years (M_age = 13.68, SD_age = 0.56, 51 males and 57 females). Participants completed an online self-report questionnaire which measured dispositional mindfulness, EI, anxiety, and depression. The results indicated that one subscale of EI – Emotional Recognition and Expression (ERE) mediated the relation between mindfulness and anxiety, while two subscales of EI – ERE and Emotional Management and Control (EMC) mediated the relation between mindfulness and depression. Future research utilizing a mindfulness intervention should be conducted to examine whether the use of mindfulness increases EI and decreases anxiety and depression in adolescents.

Positive and Negative Affect as Links Between Social Anxiety and Depression: Predicting Concurrent and Prospective Mood Symptoms in Unipolar and Bipolar Mood Disorders

The co-occurrence of social anxiety and depression is associated with increased functional impairment and a more severe course of illness. Social anxiety disorder is unique among the anxiety disorders in sharing an affective profile with depression, characterized by low levels of positive affect (PA) and high levels of negative affect (NA). Yet it remains unclear how this shared affective profile contributes to the covariation of social anxiety and depressive symptoms. We examined whether self-reported PA and NA accounted for unique variance in the association between social anxiety and depressive symptoms across three groups (individuals with remitted bipolar disorder, type I [BD; n = 32], individuals with remitted major depressive disorder [MDD; n = 31], and nonpsychiatric controls [n = 30]) at baseline and follow-ups of 6 and 12 months. Low levels of PA, but not NA, accounted for unique variance in both concurrent and prospective associations between social anxiety and depression in the BD group; in contrast, high levels of NA, but not PA, accounted for unique variance in concurrent and prospective associations between social anxiety and depression in the MDD group. Limitations include that social anxiety and PA/NA were assessed concurrently and all measurement was self-report. Few individuals with MDD/BD met current diagnostic criteria for social anxiety disorder. There was some attrition at follow-up assessments. Results suggest that affective mechanisms may contribute to the high rates of co-occurrence of social anxiety and depression in both MDD and BD. Implications of the differential role of PA and NA in the relationship between social anxiety and depression in MDD and BD and considerations for treatment are discussed.

Relation Between Emotional Intelligence, Socio-Demographic and Clinical Characteristics of Patients with Depressive Disorders

The present study aims to assess the emotional intelligence in relation to socio-demographic and clinical characteristics of patients with depressive disorders. A descriptive correlational study was utilized with a sample of (106) depressed patients who were diagnosed by a psychiatrist with depressive disorders at psychiatric outpatient clinics in Mansoura University Hospital. Data were collected through assessing socio demographic and clinical characteristics, assessing level of depression using Beck Depression Inventory BDI-II, and assessing emotional intelligence using Barchard emotional intelligence scales. Results revealed that emotional intelligence not related significantly to socio demographic and clinical characteristics of patients with depressive disorders, there is a highly significant relationship between emotional intelligence in relation to level of depression and other practices used to alleviate depression. Therefore, it is recommended to conduct a periodical workshops and training programs for adolescents and young in the universities, schools, social clubs, camps and youth organizations to enhance their emotional intelligence in order to prevent depression. In addition, assessing the effect of emotional intelligence programs on preventing and managing depression.

Emotional Intelligence Partially Mediates the Association between Anxiety Sensitivity and Anxiety Symptoms1,2

Anxiety Sensitivity (AS), the propensity to fear the somatic, mental, and social consequences of anxiety, is associated with an elevated risk of developing anxiety disorders. It was hypothesized that Emotional Intelligence (EI) might serve as a mediating variable between AS and anxiety symptom expression. Sixty-one healthy adults (30 men, 31 women; M age = 30.4 yr., SD = 8.0), recruited through posted advertisements, completed the Anxiety Sensitivity Index (ASI) and the ANX subscale of the Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI), as well as three assessments of EI, including two indices of the Ability model of EI (MSCEIT; SREIS), and one index of the Trait model of EI (i.e., Bar-On EQ-i). Partial mediation between AS and ANX was found for the EQ-i but not for the MSCEIT or SREIS, as determined by the bootstrap method of mediation analysis. The association between AS and anxiety symptoms was partly explained through its effects on the intervening variable of Trait EI, and points to the possibility that interventions improving Trait EI may be useful in reducing the expression of anxiety symptoms in people with high AS.

Self-esteem, body-esteem, emotional intelligence, and social anxiety in a college sample: the moderating role of weight

To examine the relationships between self-esteem, body-esteem, emotional intelligence, and social anxiety, as well as to examine the moderating role of weight between exogenous variables and social anxiety, 520 university students completed the self-report measures. Structural equation modeling revealed that individuals with low self-esteem, body-esteem, and emotional intelligence were more likely to report social anxiety. The findings indicated that obese and overweight individuals with low body-esteem, emotional intelligence, and self-esteem had higher social anxiety than others. Our results highlight the roles of body-esteem, self-esteem, and emotional intelligence as influencing factors for reducing social anxiety.