Assessing Emotional Intelligence Among Future Health Care Professionals; A Cross-Sectional Study in Sialkot, Pakistan

Huma Salahuddin; Sadia Rehman; Sadia Zaheer; Nimra Yahya; Shanza Irum; Qurat Ul Ain

doi:10.37185/LnS.1.1.769

Huma Salahuddin Ziauddin Medical College Karachi, Pakistan
Sadia Rehman Bahria University of Health Sciences Karachi, Pakistan
Sadia Zaheer Sialkot Medical College Sialkot, Pakistan
Nimra Yahya Bahria University of Health Sciences Karachi, Pakistan
Shanza Irum Bahria University of Health Sciences Karachi, Pakistan
Qurat Ul Ain Sialkot Medical College Sialkot, Pakistan

DOI: https://doi.org/10.37185/LnS.1.1.769

Keywords: Emotional Intelligence, Health Care Professionals, Medical Students

Abstract

Objective: To assess emotional intelligence among future healthcare professionals.
Study Design: Descriptive cross-sectional.
Place and Duration of Study: This study was conducted at the Department of Community Medicine, Sialkot Medical College Sialkot, Pakistan, from 23^rd August 2023 to 23^rd November 2023.
Methods: The study was carried out in Sialkot Medical College. A convenient sampling technique was employed to select participants. The inclusion criteria were students enrolled in the first through the final year of the MBBS program. The exclusion criteria were any medical students who had been diagnosed with anxiety or depression disorders, as these conditions could potentially influence their emotional intelligence scores. Data was collected through an Emotional intelligence scale questionnaire disseminated via Google Forms. SPSS Version 23 was used to analyze data; P-value of less than 0.05 is considered statistically significant.
Results: This study enrolled 298 medical students, with a mean age of 20.4 ± 1.77 years, comprising 143 (48%) males and 155 (52%) females. In the emotional awareness domain, females scored higher (29.9 ± 3.3) than males (24.4 ± 2.9), with a significant difference (P = 0.042). Conversely, in emotional management, males scored higher (32.8 ± 3.1) than females (26.6 ± 2.9), also significant (P = 0.002).
Conclusion: This study revealed gender-specific differences in specific domains of emotional intelligence among medical students, yet found consistent levels of overall emotional intelligence across both genders and throughout different academic years. These findings suggest the need for targeted interventions to address these disparities and underscore the stability of emotional intelligence in the medical education context.

How to cite this: Salahuddin H, Rehman S, Zaheer S, Yahya N, Irum S, Ain Q. Assessing Emotional Intelligence Among Future Health Care Professionals; A Cross-Sectional Study in Sialkot, Pakistan. Life and Science. 2025; 6(1): 21-27. doi: http://doi.org/10.37185/LnS.1.1.769