A study of the correlation between residents' humanistic care skills and their level of emotional intelligence

Abstract

Abstract Background There is variability in the structure of junior doctors' knowledge of humanistic medicine. The level of residents' emotional intelligence affects their professional development and the doctor-patient relationship. At present, there are few studies on the humanistic competence and emotional intelligence of medical residents in China and abroad. The purpose of this study was to investigate the current status of residents' humanistic competence level and emotional intelligence level and to confirm the correlation between humanistic competence level and emotional intelligence level.Results The mean score of residents' humanistic care competence was 188.82 ± 20.80, and the mean score of emotional intelligence was 87.08 ± 13.49. Pearson correlation results showed that the level of emotional intelligence (r = 0.400, p = 0.000) was significantly correlated with humanistic care competence. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that self-emotional appraisal, emotional appraisal of others, emotional control, emotional use, and school community work experience were independent predictors of humanistic care competence.Methods A cross-sectional survey using the Demographic Characteristics Questionnaire, the Humanistic Care Competence Scale, and the Emotional Intelligence Scale was conducted in September 2022 among residents of a tertiary general hospital in Sichuan Province. Pearson correlation analysis and multiple linear regression analysis were used to analyse the relationship between residents' humanistic care competence scores and emotional intelligence scores.Conclusion Residents' humanistic care competence scores were low and there were many factors influencing emotional intelligence and different levels of development. Emotional intelligence was positively associated with humanistic care competence. Emotional intelligence is an important consideration in the development, implementation, and evaluation of humanistic care interventions. Residency programs should provide education and training in humanistic competencies to improve residents' levels of emotional intelligence and promote the overall health of society.