Open Access Original Article

Resilience, Emotional Intelligence And Their Influence Pak Armed Forces Med J 2020; 70 (2): 390-94

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN RESILIENCE, EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE AND

THEIR INFLUENCE ON PSYCHOLOGICAL WELLBEING: A STUDY WITH MEDICAL
STUDENTS
Zaqia Bano, Saba Pervaiz
University of Gujrat, Gujrat Pakistan

ABSTRACT
Objective: To find out the predictive relationship between resilience, emotional intelligence and psychological
well being in medical students.
Study Design: Cross sectional correlational study.
Place and Duration of Study: Study was conducted at the department of Psychology, University of Gujrat, Sialkot
Sub-campus, from Mar 2017 to Dec 2018.
Methodology: A total of 200 medical students were recruited from different private and government medical
colleges of Sialkot, Pakistan. The students of first professional year to final professional year between age ranges
19 years to 27 years were selected for the study. Cannor Devidson Resilience Scale, Trait Emotional Intelligence,
Questionnaire-Short Form and psychological wellbeing scale-CPI, were used to find out the predictive
relationship between resilience, emotional intelligence and psychological well-being in medical students.
Results: Linear regression analysis was determined by using SPSS-21. Results showed significant predictive
relationship between resilience and psychological well-being (R=0.315; R2=09; p<0.001), and resilience and
emotional intelligence with psychological well-being of medical students (R=0.224; R2=05; p<0.001).
Conclusion: The current research maintained the predictive relationship between resilience and emotional
intelligence with psychological well-being in medical students. This study will provide the vital information
about the role of positive growth and psychological health of the medical students in their healthy professional
development.
Keywords: Emotional intelligence, Medical students, Psychological well-being, Resilience.

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0), which
permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

INTRODUCTION Further, resilient people are considered confident,

Student life is considered to be the most insightful, well adjusted and socially adept; they
pleasant, learning and demanding time. Espe- also possess good coping strategies with difficult
cially, in the medical education, to meet the problem solving skills and in every feature of life
academic demands the student has to work very having logical sense3.
hard. However, there are some factors in the life It is an essential expectation and challenge of
that bounce back to the normal life and provide modern health professional education in deve-
strength to cope with these problems or challen- loping professionalism. As a medical profesional
ges. This factor to recuperate from the difficulties they need to maintain their working life and must
is called “resilience”. The researcher proposed withstand high level of demand, hard work and
that resilience is the ability to express your posi- manage high levels of demand and responsibility,
tive qualities and talent through developmental ever-changing environments, responsibility,
progresses and cognition and in distress, tragedy public care and expectations of others4.
or significant stress situations resilience is a Due to the fact that health professionals are
well adapted process to cope with the situation1,2. always at risk in which emotional demands
and workload may create severe stress. For
Correspondence: Dr Zaqia Bano, Department of Psychology,
University of Gujrat, Gujrat Pakistan
coping with these stressors good health, stamina,
Email: zaqia.bano@uog.edu.pk suitable skills and ability to respond positively to
Received: 06 Jan 2018; revised received: 12 Nov 2018; accepted: 12 Dec these challenges are required. In this scenario, in
2018

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Resilience, Emotional Intelligence And Their Influence Pak Armed Forces Med J 2020; 70 (2): 390-94

order to provide best care to the patients the occupational accomplishments, appropriate
medical students need to take care of lifestyles, healthy and positive relationships with
themselves5. others. These qualities arise forms emotional
The term resilience, which appears to relate intelligence which is a key factor and essential for
to the long-term ability of individuals to survive professionals and mental health. Self-awareness,
in and thrive on adversity, has relatively little self and social intelligence are aspects of
representation in the medical education. Rutter emotional intelligence. Emotionally intelligent
points out that there is evidence that challenging people have a positive approach, good problem
experiences assist the development of resilience, solving abilities, confidence with better insight
and that people need to have some exposure to and helping attitude. Further, they have an ability
risk to allow their coping mechanisms to mature. to understand the emotions of others and ability
Similar findings in medical students show links to convey their emotions properly as well and are
between passive distress (caused by the inability psychologically flexible.
to intervene in events that students find emo- Studies explained that in the medical profes-
tionally disturbing) and poor levels of resilience6. sion resilience and emotional intelligence are
Medical professionals need to be persistent, significant protective and leading factors against
adaptable, committed and resilient during poor health and enhancing the psychological
training years7. Antonovsky says, resilient people wellbeing. Thus, emotional intelligence helps
have an ability to manage stress and stay well professionals for their career building, streng-
and remain irresistable from psychological thens the development of accuracy and serves
stress8. Generally, it is observed that the medical with passion. It is important for the medical
field is assumed to be a prestigious field. Hence, professionals they should be more resilient,
this field demands a lot of hard work, extra emotionally stable and have a good command for
potentials and paying of comprehensive concen- management of everyday difficulties regarding
tration for getting more objectivity9. the field because this field requires more
potentials and responsibilities for getting good
Therefore, these students experience all such
outcomes. Further, the medical professionals deal
types of hurdles, face many adversities and learn
with human sufferings. Positive, resilient and
that how to cope with these adversities which
optimistic medical professionals deal with
may increase their tolerance level and make them
sufferings effectively and ultimately these
more resilient which ultimately leads to enhanced
qualities enhance the psychological well-being of
psychological health and wellbeing. A positive
the individuals.
mental health theory formulated by Allport10,
reports that personal growth and individual’s METHODOLOGY
optimal functioning displays another feature of The entire sample comprised 200 medical
wellness which brings the person’s abilities and students of medical first professional year to
positive qualities to the surface. The main aspect final professional year. The age range of the
of psychological well-being is that it prepares the participants was 19 years to 27 years. Cross
person for different challenges and adversities sectional convenient sampling was done from
during life. Resilient and helping individuals are government and private medical colleges in
positively associated with Wellbeing and show Sialkot, Pakistan.
are negative link with emotional distress. The demographic form included name,
Further, emotional intelligence is allied with age, education, professional year, gender. The
characteristics involving their management, Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, consists of
intelligence and emotional information skills and 25 items that, measure the level of resiliency.
other numerous values of life which included

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Resilience, Emotional Intelligence And Their Influence Pak Armed Forces Med J 2020; 70 (2): 390-94

Responses were indicated on a five-point Likert permission was taken from Universities and
scale. Higher scores indicate more resilience11-13. medical college authorities. Ethical approval were
Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire- ensured accordingly.
Short Form (TEIQue-SF; Petrides, 2009) consists RESULTS
of 30-item and includes two items from each of Linear regression analysis was analyzed
Table-I: Descriptive statistics of demographic.
by using SPSS-21. Result showed significant
Variables Frequency Percentage predictive relationship between resilience
Gender and psychological well-being (R=0.315; R2=09;
Males 48 24 p<0.001), and resilience and emotional inte-
Females 152 76 lligence with psychological well-being of medical
Education Professional Years students (R=0.224; R2=05; p<0.001).
1st year 49 24.5
DISCUSSION
2nd year 44 22
3rd year 54 27 The objective of the current research was to
4th year 35 17.5 evaluate the predictive relationship between
5th year 18 9 resilience and psychological wellbeing in medical
students (R=0.315, F=21.806, p<0.001). The results
the 15 facets of the TEIQue. It measures the
were in link with previous researches that
emotional intelligence of the participants14.
both variables, resilience and psychological well-
Psychological wellbeing (CPI)15, The scale being, are positive in nature. So these constructs
of psychological wellbeing (CPI) developed produced positive results in almost every
by Ghough (1957). This scale consists of 38 condition16,17. A previous research indicated that

Table-II: Regression analysis with resilience and emotional intelligence as predictors of psychological
well-being in medical students.
Adjusted R
R R Square F p-value
Square
Resilience
0.315 0.099 0.095 21.80 <0.001
Psychological Well-being
Emotional Intelligence
0.224 0.050 0.046 10.49 0.001
Psychological Well-being
Note. p<0.01, 0.001, Table shows resilience and emotional intelligence as a significant predictor of psychological well-being
among medical students.
monosyllable questions. Psychological wellbeing the student’s psychological well-being will be
scale comprises of 38 true/false items. Item no. enhanced by such dimensions in educational
1-38 were false items, whereas item no. 6, 9, 10, settings. Generally, resilience is required for
12, 19, 33 were true items were used in the study. educational success and problem solving abilities
The procedures and materials used were related to academic period and also prepare the
approved and reviewed by advanced studies and individual for future planning positively. Medical
research board (ASBR), University of Gujrat, students are more vulnerable to mental illnesses
Pakistan. All recommendation’s and suggestions because they experience many significant challen-
regarding amendments in the research procedure ges in their learning environment. Literature
were followed. Core ethical principle respect for supporst that resilience is an essential factor to
rights anonymity and dignity of respondents, moderate the effects of traumas and to enrich the
competence, integrity, responsibility and confi- wellbeing of medical students18.
dentiality were strictly followed. Data were Resilience is the term which describes the
analyzed by using SPSS-21. For data collection individual’s positive reaction in complex and

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Resilience, Emotional Intelligence And Their Influence Pak Armed Forces Med J 2020; 70 (2): 390-94

adverse situation which shows their high psycho- understand the others as well which will lead to
logical wellbeings19. Additionally, resilience plays psychological well-being in life.
a crucial role in psychological well-being20. Some LIMITATION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
previous studies also inline that resilience and
Resilience and emotional intelligence are
psychological wellbeing are directly proportional
directly related to the well-being of individuals.
to each other21. In the early medical career, the
The focus of this study was to target the medical
risk of mental disturbance and psychological dis-
students to explore their resilience which may
tress is high because during this period medical
lead to psychological well-being. In Pakistan,
students are more vulnerable to psychological
little research was available to support current
sufferings. These elements are in line with
research.
Mezirow’s22, Transformative Learning Theory.
This theory describes when an individual passes Implementation: The medical institutes should
through a learning journey he/she has indepen- design programs, workshops and seminars to
dence and can also review the aspects critically enhance the resilience of medical students
which produce autonomy and self-awareness. because of an increasing need of these qualities.
Moreover, different studies indicated that CONCLUSION
there is a causative relationship between resi- The psychological well-being of medical
lience and psychological well-being. Both of these students depends upon their resiliency level
variables work collaboratively in adverse events. and emotionality. For proper and effective
Resilience results in psychological well-being and functioning in the social and academic areas,
optimistic change to resilience23. medical students have to possess physiological,
The second hypothesis was “emotional environmental and psychological resources this
intelligence would be a significant predictor way a student can show a good performance in
of psychological well-being among medical their respective domains.
students (R=0.224, F=10.491, p=0.001). These It has been noted that medical student may
findings are consistent with previous researches face more hurdles in order to which that it is a
that the understanding of emotions is more high competitive field, if these individual having
important predictor of psychological well-being low level of resilience and emotional intelligence
than the regulation of emotions24. Besides, can lead to mental illness or psychopathology.
emotional intelligence is able to predict the CONFLICT OF INTEREST
variables of psychological wellbeing and happi-
ness. Therefore, considering the emotional intelli- This study has no conflict of interest to be
gence as “the capacity to perceive, assimilate, declared by any author.
understand and manage emotion”. REFERENCES
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