Science and visual Arts: Binomial or Dichotomy? A Pilot study in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus patients

Abstract

Scientific literature demonstrated the impairment in cognitive/executive functions and pragmatic language in SLE patients, potentially involving also asymptomatic subjects. The present study focuses on the assessment in an SLE cohort of emotional intelligence, which is an ability regulated by the network of the executive functions, cognitive abilities involved in the initiation, planning, organization, and regulation of achievement-oriented behaviors: with emotional. Thus, emotional intelligence, defined as the ability to reason with emotions, was evaluated in a SLE cohort diagnosed according to the 1997 American College of Rheumatology criteria. As control healthy subjects were enrolled. The Mayer–Salovey–Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test (MSCEIT), a skill-scale that measures the ability to perform tasks and solve emotional problems, was administered to patients and controls. Second, a group of SLE patients underwent the Visual Thinking Strategies (VTS) method in order to assess the potential impact of art in cognitive skills like critical thinking, problem solving, and emotional intelligence quotient. The protocol also included the evaluation of the improvement of some skills using a validated VTS skill grid. Self-reported scales for anxiety and depression were performed to rule out the influence of mood disorders on emotional intelligence. The present study demonstrated similar quotient scores of emotional intelligence in SLE patients and healthy controls. Furthermore, VTS method could help in improving this cognitive ability in patients, by implementing critical thinking and problem solving, promoting empathy, and improving tolerance to ambiguity and relational capacity.