Emotional intelligence and the relationship to resident performance: a multi-institutional study

J Clin Anesth. 2013 May;25(3):181-7. doi: 10.1016/j.jclinane.2012.08.002. Epub 2013 Mar 22.

Abstract

Study objective: To test the hypothesis that emotional intelligence, as measured by a BarOn Emotional Quotient Inventory (EQ-i), the 125-item version personal inventory (EQ-i:125), correlates with resident performance.

Design: Survey (personal inventory) instrument.

Setting: Five U.S. academic anesthesiology residency programs.

Participants: Postgraduate year (PGY) 2, 3, and 4 residents enrolled in university-based anesthesiology residency programs.

Measurements: Residents confidentially completed the BarOn EQ-i:125 personal inventory. The deidentified resident evaluations were sent to the principal investigator of a separate data collection study for data analysis. Data collected from the inventory were correlated with daily evaluations of the residents by residency program faculty. Results of the individual BarOn EQ-i:125 and daily faculty evaluations of the residents were compiled and analyzed.

Main results: Univariate correlation analysis and multivariate canonical analysis showed that some aspects of the BarOn EQ-i:125 were significantly correlated with, and likely to be predictors of, resident performance.

Conclusions: Emotional intelligence, as measured by the BarOn EQ-i personal inventory, has considerable promise as an independent indicator of performance as an anesthesiology resident.

Publication types

  • Multicenter Study

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Anesthesiology / education*
  • Clinical Competence*
  • Education, Medical, Graduate / organization & administration
  • Emotional Intelligence*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Internship and Residency / standards*
  • Interpersonal Relations
  • Male
  • Personnel Selection / methods
  • Physicians / psychology
  • Psychometrics
  • Self Concept
  • Students, Medical / psychology*
  • United States