Relationship between Emotional Intelligence and Depression in Teaching Faculty of Basic Sciences at a Private Medical College: A Cross Sectional Correlational Study

Emotion Intelligence &Depression in Teaching Faculty

Abstract

Background: Emotional Intelligence (EI) spans five basic principles including awareness and management of self-emotions, ability to motivate oneself, awareness, and management of other’s emotions. EI takes a person to high level of professional as well as academic success by improving one’s cognitive performance far above the level attained by general intelligence (GI). In addition, EI enables one to control negative attributes such as anxiety, anger, and stress and highlight pragmatic and constructive feelings like congeniality, self-confidence and empathy. Objective: The current study was designed to estimate the level of emotional intelligence (EI) in teaching faculty of basic sciences at a private medical college and to check its correlation with depression. Study Design: Cross sectional correlational study. Settings: Lahore Medical & Dental College, Lahore Pakistan. Duration: December 2021- April 2022. Methods: Two questionnaires including “Leadership Toolkit Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire” and “Patient Health Care Questionnaire 9 were used to collect the data. After approval from Institutional Review Board, informed written consent was taken from the participants. Data was collected by using convenient sampling technique from faculty of basic science departments. SPSS 22 was utilized for analysis of the data. Results: In the current study a total number of 72 faculty members participated. Out of total 72 participants, 69.4% (50) were in the average EI range and 23.6% (17) had good EI with only 6.9% (5) falling in the poor EI range. The mean score for overall EI was higher in senior faculty as compared to junior members with a value of 189.7 but the difference was not statistically significant. Similarly, no significant difference was found among male and female participants regarding overall EI as well as its constructs. The sub-sections managing emotions, motivating one-self and social skills showed significant difference with a higher value in the senior faculty. Overall, EI was found to be inversely correlated with depression with a p value < 0.01. Conclusion: The score of Emotional Intelligence is reasonably good in the faculty of basic science departments. Moreover, EI has been found to be inversely correlated with depression.