Effect of Insomnia and Distress on Emotional Intelligence and Coping Strategies Among Medical College Students

Abstract

Objective: Present study focused on the Effect of Insomnia and Distress on Emotional Intelligence and Coping Strategies among Medical College Students. Study Design: Cross-sectional, questionnaire based.  Settings: Different medical colleges in Punjab, Pakistan. Period: October 2016 - July 2017. Patients and methods: sample of medical students was purposely drawn and questionnaires were administered. Results: Insomnia had significant positive relationship with psychological distress and maladaptive coping, and significant negative relationship with adaptive coping. However, insomnia was found to have non-significant negative relationship with emotional intelligence. Furthermore, results showed that psychological distress had significant negative correlation with overall coping and adaptive coping but had significant positive relationship with maladaptive coping. Yet psychological distress had non-significant relationship with emotional intelligence. Additionally, study further showed that emotional intelligence had significant positive relationship with adaptive coping but had significant negative relationship with maladaptive coping. Multiple regression analysis showed that insomnia and psychological distress were significant predictors of coping (adaptive and maladaptive). Additionally, no significant gender differences were found however students differ significantly in terms of birth order. Conclusions: Insomnia has significant positive relationship with psychological distress and coping but non-significant relationship with emotional intelligence. Additionally, insomnia and psychological distress were significant predictors of coping (specifically maladaptive).