Emotional intelligence and perceived stress in resident doctors

Abstract

Introduction: The academic plan of specialty students has focused on developing skills and aptitudes in the clinical area, without considering the psychological demand that it requires and the development of emotional intelligence that is essential to improve medical practice.

Objective: Determine the profile of emotional intelligence and perceived stress in medical residents.

Method: Descriptive cross-sectional design in first and second year postgraduate students during medical residency. The entire population, made up of 52 resident doctors, was included. Emotional intelligence was evaluated with the Trait Meta Mood Scale instrument: TTMS-24, made up of 24 items (Cronbach’s alpha of 0.87). Perceived stress was evaluated through the PSS-14 instrument in its 14-item version (alpha of Cronbach’s score of 0.84). The statistical analysis included confidence intervals for percentages and averages.

Results: Emotional intelligence in the attention dimension in the scarce category is 46.2% (IC 95% 32.6-59.8), in the clarity dimension the appropriate category is 50.0% (IC 95%; 36.4-63.7) and in the repair dimension the appropriate category is 59.6% (IC 95% 46.3-72.9). The 82.7% (IC 95%; 72.4-93.0) medicals residents perceive that they are often stressed.

Discussion: In medical specialization, high levels of stress are often experienced due to workload, pressure in making critical decisions and exposure to emotionally challenging situations such as death. In this research, it was found that resident physicians and doctors are often stressed. This explains the results obtained for the emotional intelligence dimension where none was excessive and even in the attention dimension it was scarce.

Conclusion: Emotional intelligence in the medical residents in the attention dimension is scarce, in the dimension clarity and reparation is appropriate and regarding perceived stress, it was found that they are very often stressed.