Trait Emotional Intelligence in Surgeons

Emotional intelligence among medical students in Sweden - a questionnaire study

BACKGROUND

Emotional intelligence (EI), the ability to understand and regulate one's and other's emotions, has been linked to academic and clinical performance and stress management, making it an essential skill to develop during medical school. Nevertheless, uncertainty remains about the impact of medical education on EI, its association with sociodemographic factors, and the potential moderating role of gender. Therefore, this study aimed to explore levels of global EI among Swedish medical students based on their completed semesters while analyzing the potential moderator role of gender and identifying potential EI differences associated with age, gender, prior education, work experience, and previous experience working in a leadership position.

METHODS

The participants were medical students in semesters 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, and 11 at a Swedish University. Participants answered the self-report Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire - Short Form (TEIQue-SF) and demographic questions. For each participant, the mean global trait EI was calculated (range 1-7), and differences were compared based on semesters and sociodemographic factors. In addition, we investigated the relationship between semester and EI scores with gender as a moderator.

RESULTS

Of the 663 invited medical students, 429 (65%) responded, including 269 women (62.7%), 157 men (36.6%), and 3 identifying as others (0.7%). The participants had a mean global trait EI score of 5.33. Final-year students demonstrated significantly higher global trait EI scores than first-year students, and gender did not have a moderating effect across semesters. Furthermore, students in the age group 25-29 years showed higher EI scores compared to those in the age group 21-24 years, while there were no significant differences in EI scores for older students (≥ 30 years) compared to other age groups. Higher EI scores were also positively associated with previous work-and leadership experiences. Gender and previous education did not significantly impact EI scores.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings suggest that higher EI scores are associated with semesters of medical education, age, and previous work and leadership experience. Future longitudinal studies are needed to identify factors that could improve EI among medical students to design curricular activities aimed at supporting the EI of the next generation of physicians.

Personal Growth and Emotional Intelligence: Foundational Skills for the Leader

Emotional intelligence (EI) has gained popularity and is being seen as a necessity, spreading beyond the business world, and becoming universal. In that shift, medicine and medical education have started to see the importance. This is evident in mandatory curriculum and accreditation requirements. EI includes 4 primary domains with several subcompetencies under each domain. This article outlines several of the subcompetencies necessary for success as a physician, competencies that can be honed with targeted professional growth. Empathy, communication, conflict management, burnout, and leadership are discussed in an application way to help identify importance of and how to improve each.

Trait emotional intelligence profiles of professionals in Kuwait

Trait emotional intelligence concerns people's perceptions of their emotional world. Our aims for this study are to examine (a) the trait emotional intelligence (EI) profiles across different professions in Kuwait; (b) the incremental validity of trait EI in predicting job performance; and (c) the relationship between trait EI, job attitudes, and job performance. The sample comprised 314 professionals in Kuwait in seven different professions: Bankers, Engineers, Healthcare providers, Lawyers, Military, Policemen, and Teachers. Firstly, the results showed that the Military scored the lowest global trait emotional intelligence and three of four factors. Secondly, the results showed that global trait EI incrementally predicted job performance over job attitudes in Policemen and Engineers but not in other professions. Lastly, the results showed that job attitudes partially mediated the relationship between trait EI and job performance. These findings call for the importance of trait emotional intelligence trainings for professionals in Kuwait as it affects important job-related variables. The limitations of this study and the directions for future studies have been discussed.

Emotional Intelligence, Resilience, and Self-Esteem as Predictors of Satisfaction with Life in University Students

The present study examined if Emotional Intelligence (EI), resilience, and self-esteem predicted life satisfaction in university students. We computed correlations between the study variables, then, we compared the differences between men and women. Finally, a simultaneous multiple regression was performed. The sample was composed of 2574 university students (715 were men and 1859 were women), whose age ranged from 18 to 30 years with a mean (M) of 20.83 and a standard deviation (SD) of 2.45. The instruments used were the Wong and Law Emotional Intelligence Scale (WLEIS), the Wagnild and Young Resilience Scale (ER-25), the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES), and the Diener Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS). The results indicated that EI, self-esteem, and resilience correlated significantly and directly with satisfaction with life. Regarding sex differences, it was found that men had greater resilience, appraisal and recognition of emotion in others, and self-regulation of emotion. Women had greater appraisal and expression of emotion in self and self-esteem. The results showed that self-esteem, self-regulation of emotion, the use of emotion to facilitate performance, and acceptance of self and life as resilience factors predicted satisfaction with life. accounting for 48% of the variance. The variable that best predicted satisfaction with life was self-esteem.

Trait emotional intelligence in American pilots

There is a dearth of trait emotional intelligence (trait EI) research within an aviation context. Using the Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire (TEIQue), the present study investigated potential trait EI differences between pilots and general population controls in the United States. The forty-four pilots who volunteered to participate were primarily male (93%) and between 24 and 67 years with a wide range of flight experience (150–5000 + hrs.) They were matched with controls based on age, gender, and ethnicity. Comparisons on global trait EI and the four trait EI factors revealed significant differences, with pilots scoring consistently lower than their matched counterparts in global trait EI, Well-being, Emotionality, and Sociability, but not Self-control. Overall, the findings indicated that pilots felt less connected to their emotional world than controls. Though limited by sample size and participant diversity, the results provide a basis for future studies into the trait EI profile of pilots, which had not been previously investigated.

Associations of trait emotional intelligence and stress with anxiety in Chinese medical students

Background

Medical students are vulnerable to anxiety. Identifying its key influencing factors can potentially benefit both students and their future patients. Trait emotional intelligence (EI) and perceived stress may play important roles in anxiety. The main objective of this study was to examine the associations between trait EI, perceived stress and anxiety among Chinese medical students.

Materials and methods

Self-report questionnaires, consisting of the Chinese versions of the Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire-Short Form, the 10-item Perceived Stress Scale, the 7-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale, and demographic section were distributed to 1500 students at three medical universities in China. Hierarchical regression analyses were performed to examine the associations between trait EI, perceived stress and anxiety. Asymptotic and resampling strategies were utilized to examine the mediating effect of perceived stress.

Results

A total number of 1388 medical students became final participants. After adjustment for demographics, while trait EI was strongly and negatively associated with anxiety, accounting for 21.1% of its variance, perceived stress was strongly and positively related to anxiety, explaining an additional 10.0% of the variance. Stress appeared to have a mediating effect on the association between trait EI and anxiety in students with high and moderate levels of stress, but not in low stress group.

Conclusions

Both constructs of trait EI and perceived stress could be of vital importance to understand anxiety in medical students. Evidence-based strategies to enhance trait EI and reduce perceived stress might be undertaken to prevent and treat anxiety in the students.