Avaliação do nível de Inteligência Emocional em estudantes de Medicina de diferentes períodos da graduação. Estudo transversal, Belo Horizonte, 2017-2018

Abstract

Recent studies show a direct influence of emotional intelligence (EI) on medical practice and, more specifically, on the development and maintenance of a good patient-physician relationship. Objectives: Comparing EI levels among medicine students in different years of study and analyzing other factors influencing EI levels. Materials and methods: Cross-sectional study including students from the first, third and sixth years of a private medical school in Belo Horizonte. The sample consisted of 195 volunteers (65 from each year level), and non-probabilistic convenience sampling was used. EI levels were assessed by using the Schutte Self Report EI Test, and sociodemographic as well as personal data were collected by using a specific self-administered questionnaire. All volunteers signed the Free and Informed Consent Form prior to enrollment. The ANOVA test was used for comparison of EI scores between the different study levels, and the Student t test for comparison of scores between the dichotomous variables. The association between continuous variables was evaluated by using the Pearson correlation test. A multiple regression analysis was performed with the variables presenting p < 0.10. The significance level was 0.05. Results: Between October/2017 and April/2018, 225 volunteers were recruited, of which 16 (7.1%) were excluded for not filling up the questionnaire properly. The final sample consisted of 209 participants (71 from the first year, 69 from the third and 69 from the sixth). Most were women (66.0%), 95.2% were single, 10.0% had a previous college/university degree, and 16.3% reported a previous mental disorder diagnosis. The average age was 23.2 (± 3.9) years. There were no differences in the overall EI scores and the different EI domains among the various course years. The Pearson test showed a weak positive relation between age and total score (r = 0.172, p = 0.013) and perception of emotion (r = 0.236, p = 0.001). Multiple regression showed a significant positive association between age and total score (p = 0.040) in all EI domains, except for the use of emotions. There was a significant reduction in the total score (p = 0.033), the ability to manage one’s own emotions (p <0.001) and others’ emotions (p = 0.025) in volunteers reporting previous mental disorders. Conclusions: No association was observed between the different IE scores and the years of medical study. There was a positive correlation between age and total IE score, perception of emotion, management of one’s own emotions and management of others’ emotions. The presence of mental disorder reduced the total score, as well as the management of one’s own emotions and of others’ emotions.