The Association Between Emotional Intelligence and Suicidal Behavior: A Systematic Review

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Public Health
• Mental Health

Background:

• Existing meta-analyses suggest a link between emotional intelligence (EI) and health indicators.
• Rising global suicide rates have increased professional interest in the relationship between EI and suicidal behavior.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review and synthesize all available evidence on the association between emotional intelligence and suicidal behavior.

Main Methods:

• A comprehensive systematic literature review was conducted.
• Included studies were published in English or Spanish and accessed through major databases.
• Twenty-five relevant articles were identified and analyzed.

Main Results:

• A consistent inverse correlation was found between EI and suicidal behavior across multiple EI assessment tools (e.g., EQ-i, EIT, WLEIS, SSEIT, Barchard's EI Scale).
• Higher levels of suicidal behavior were associated with lower EI scores.
• Specific EI components, such as emotional understanding and regulation, showed protective effects against suicidal behavior in some studies using the MSCEIT.

Conclusions:

• Elevated emotional intelligence appears to be a significant protective factor against suicidal behavior.
• Integrating EI into suicide prevention programs is recommended based on the findings.