Emotional intelligence and academic performance among medical students - a correlational study

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Psychology
• Health Sciences

Background:

• Emotional intelligence (EI) is crucial for personal and professional development.
• Previous research indicates a link between high EI and better academic outcomes in student populations.
• The specific relationship between EI and academic performance in medical students requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the correlation between emotional intelligence and academic performance among undergraduate medical students.
• To assess the influence of different domains of emotional intelligence on medical students' grade-point averages (GPA).

Main Methods:

• A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted on 140 undergraduate medical students at Majmaah University.
• A self-administered questionnaire adapted from Paul Mohapel's model assessed emotional intelligence across four domains.
• Data on demographic details and GPA were collected and analyzed using SPSS.

Main Results:

• A positive correlation was found between emotional intelligence total score and GPA (r=0.18, p=0.032).
• Higher emotional management scores were observed in students with a CGPA >4.50 (p=0.048).
• Males demonstrated significantly higher mean scores in emotional awareness, social-emotional awareness, relationship management, and total EI compared to females (p<0.001).

Conclusions:

• Emotional management significantly influences academic performance in medical students.
• Interventions aimed at improving emotional intelligence should be implemented to support academic success.
• Further research is recommended to explore gender-based differences in emotional intelligence among medical students.