Abstract
Background
Emotional intelligence (EI) plays an important role in medical students’ academic and professional development, as it influences communication, empathy, and stress management. This study aimed to assess EI levels among Lebanese medical students enrolled in universities adopting the European teaching system and to identify factors associated with EI levels.
Methods
This cross-sectional study was conducted among Lebanese medical students from Beirut Arab University, Lebanese University, and Saint Joseph University. Data were collected using an online questionnaire distributed through a snowball sampling technique. The questionnaire included sociodemographic and lifestyle characteristics, the Schutte Self-Report Emotional Intelligence Test (SSEIT), and the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS). Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS, and a p-value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.
Results
A total of 416 medical students were included in the final analysis. The mean EI score was 123.4 (SD = 17.76). Overall, 68.0% of participants had average EI scores, 16.3% had unusually high EI scores, and 15.6% had unusually low EI scores. Higher EI was significantly associated with lower perceived stress, happiness, dog ownership, alcohol consumption, academic year, governorate, and self-pride. In addition, participants who were motivated, happy, proud of themselves, and had friendships lasting more than four years reported lower stress levels.
Conclusions
Most Lebanese medical students demonstrated average EI levels. Lower stress and positive psychosocial characteristics were associated with higher EI. These findings highlight the importance of promoting emotional well-being and stress management strategies during medical education to support students’ personal and professional development.
Keywords: Emotional intelligence, Stress, Health, Medical students
Background
EI defines the ability to recognize, understand, and control one’s own and others’ emotions. EI includes 5 main domains: self-awareness, means accepting one’s own emotions and understanding their impacts on others. Self-regulation refers to managing those emotions. internal motivation, is the capacity to come up with the best decision. Empathy means appreciating other’s feelings. Social skills are the ability to manage communication and interaction with others [1]. Experts once believed that a high intelligence quotient (IQ) alone is enough to have a successful life, but academic brilliance does not represent social intelligence. Therefore, developing emotional intelligence is essential for improving professional performance across a wide range of professions [2].
EI is also considered essential in medicine, especially in the careful management of emotions required in daily patient care and practice. Especially, personal qualities or dispositions related to EI are considered essential for good interaction and teamwork between doctors and patients [3, 4]. For example, excellent emotional empathy might involve listening to the harsh complaints of a tired and frustrated co-worker without taking it personally. Also, admitting a mistake and talking frankly about it with the patient or family requires managing one’s own emotions as well as the emotional reactions of the patient and family [5].
According to a cross-sectional study conducted in Kerala, India (2022) aiming to assess the level of EI among medical students and to identify the factors affecting it, age appeared to have a statistical association with EI levels [6].
Additionally, a cross-sectional study conducted in Sweden (2023) titled “EI among medical students in Sweden”, perceived throughout 429 medical students in semesters 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, and 11 at a Swedish University called Umea [7]. This study was made to comprehend the relation between EI, age, gender, prior work experience, and previous experience working in a leadership position. With respect to age, up to a certain level it can influence EI levels [8, 9]. No significant differences were observed between participants aged ≥ 30 years and the other age groups. However, participants aged 25–29 years had significantly higher EI scores than the age group 20–24 (first year students). However, we cannot say that age is directly related to EI levels since usually final year students have more clinical exposure so this could also be an important factor. Also, medical students with previous work experience had significantly higher EI scores than those without such experience [10]. Because experiences improve one’s communication skills and professionality in dealing with different situations. Thus, the individual will understand and manage his own feelings and emotions better. Furthermore, students with previous leadership experience also displayed higher EI scores compared to those without such experience [11]. But no significant gender differences in trait EI among medical students since in Sweden both genders have same rights and opportunities.
Another study, titled “EI among medical students: a mixed methods study from Chennai, India” [12] aimed to evaluate students’ understanding of the effect of emotions in medical practice. This study revealed a significantly positive effect of collectivist training in governmental schools on students’ EI levels. In conclusion, this positive effect has encouraged community-oriented medical education to produce community-oriented doctors with the required skills. In addition, EI levels were nearly equal in both genders. But women excelled in showing empathy and applying their EI into clinical care. whereas Men were better at managing stressful emotions [13–15]. In conclusion, it is crucial to engage medical students in EI training to improve their understanding about the importance of building up EI skills.
According to the conducted research “Emotional intelligence, perceived stress and academic performance of Sri Lankan medical undergraduates”, this was a cross-sectional study perceived throughout 471 medical students (second, third and final year) at the University of Colombo, Sri Lanka [16]. The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between emotional intelligence (EI), academic performance, and perceived stress among medical students. Hence, the results showed that as EI increased, academic performance increased, and stress scale levels decreased [17]. This was most pronounced during the final year of medical school. Also, the results showed that females have greater EI than males.
Furthermore, according to the research “The relationship between EI and happiness in medical students”, this was an analytical cross-sectional study among 300 students (first, second-, and third-year medicine) at Shiraz University of Medical Sciences [18]. This study aimed to see if there is an association between EI and happiness among medical students. In addition, it aimed to help the students with their physical and mental health problems if present since their health affects society. Hence, the results showed that first year medical students showed a decrease in their EI level due to the hardships of balancing their time between studies and their social life. Nevertheless, the results demonstrated an increase in EI levels among extroverted students, as opposed to introverts, with a corresponding increase in happiness [19].
Moreover, another study titled “EI and Academic Performance in First and Final Year Medical Students: A Cross-Sectional Study” [20], conducted in Malaysia, aimed to examine the impact of EI on the academic performance of medical students in their first and final years, with the goal of enhancing their academic and clinical skills. The results indicated that as EI increases, the academic and clinical performance of medical students also improves. Furthermore, the independent impact of EI was notably.
Although emotional intelligence has been investigated among medical students in several countries, evidence from Lebanon remains scarce. Furthermore, previous studies have largely examined selected demographic or academic factors, while the combined influence of psychosocial, lifestyle, and stress-related factors on emotional intelligence has not been comprehensively explored. Given the demanding nature of medical education and the cultural and educational context of Lebanese universities, understanding the determinants of emotional intelligence may help inform strategies to enhance students’ emotional well-being, resilience, and future professional competence.
Therefore, this study aimed to assess emotional intelligence levels among Lebanese medical students enrolled in universities adopting the European teaching system and to explore sociodemographic, academic, lifestyle, and psychological factors associated with emotional intelligence.
Methods
Study design and population
This cross-sectional study was conducted among Lebanese medical students in different universities (LU, BAU, USJ) with European system in their faculty of medicine. Data were collected through an online questionnaire completed by consenting participants. An online questionnaire was distributed among all Lebanese Governates through social media using a snowball technique.
Sample size
The sample size was calculated using the Raosoft online sample size calculator for population-based surveys. Based on an estimated population of 2,130 medical students enrolled at Beirut Arab University, Lebanese University, and Saint Joseph University, a 95% confidence level, 5% margin of error, and 50% response distribution were assumed, resulting in a minimum required sample size of 326 participants. To account for an anticipated 20% non-response rate, the target sample size was increased to 408 participants. A total of 441 students responded to the survey. After excluding incomplete, 416 participants were included in the final analysis, exceeding the minimum required sample size.
Ethical considerations
The study received ethical approval from the Institutional Review Board of Beirut Arab University (IRB No. 2024-H-0143-M-R-0585). Participation was voluntary, and electronic informed consent was obtained from all participants before accessing the questionnaire. Participants who selected “I do not consent” were unable to proceed with the survey. No personally identifiable information was collected, and all responses remained anonymous and confidential. All study procedures were conducted in accordance with the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki.
Data collection procedures
The survey link was initially distributed through medical students from the participating universities using WhatsApp and other social media platforms. Participants were encouraged to share the survey with eligible peers, constituting a snowball sampling approach. Participation was voluntary, anonymous, and restricted to one response per participant through the Google Forms settings. The survey included the following: sociodemographic questions, social questions, EI scale using Schutte scale, and perceived stress scale.
The preliminary final version of the questionnaire was administered to a sample of 30 eligible students in order to perform the pilot study. The aim was to check the clarity, coherence, and intelligibility of the questions with the average time needed for the participants to accomplish it.
Inclusions
Pre-clerkship and clerkship Lebanese medical students of both genders in different European system universities in Lebanon: Beirut Arab Universities (BAU), Lebanese University (LU), and Saint Joseph University (USJ).
Exclusions
Incomplete questionnaires.
Questionnaire
The questionnaire consisted of four sections: sociodemographic (age, gender, parents, marital status, family type, governorate, nationality, university, academic year, hospital rotation, alcohol consumption, smocking, family income), Social (owning pets, friendship, personality, sleeping hours, physical activity, happiness, reward, motivation, pride, inspiration), EI scale (SSEIT), and stress scale (PSS).
The Schutte Self-Report EI (SSEIT) [21] is a method to measure the general EI. This scale is a widely used and validated instrument for measuring trait emotional intelligence. It consists of 33 items and measures four factors: expression of self’s emotions, understanding of others’ emotions, regulation of emotions, and utilization of emotions. The items are scored on a 5- point Likert scale (1 = strongly disagree, 2 = disagree, 3 = neither agree nor disagree, 4 = agree, 5 = strongly agree). Items 5, 28, and 33 are negatively worded and were reverse scored prior to calculating the total SSEIT score, in accordance with the original scoring instructions described by Schutte et al. To obtain the total score, the scores of the 33 items should be added. In many samples the mean EI score was 124, with a standard deviation of 13. Lastly, scores below 111 were considered unusually low whereas scores above 137 were considered unusually high.
The Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) [17] is a classic stress assessment instrument. This scale is a validated instrument widely used to assess perceived stress in community and student populations. The 10 questions in this scale ask about feelings and thoughts during the last month. The 10-item PSS measures global perceived stress experienced across the past 30 days on a 5-point scale (0 = never, 1 = almost never, 2 = sometimes, 3 = often, 4 = very often) except for questions number 4,5,7, and 8 feature a reverse scale. And by adding the scores of all 10 items the total score should be obtained. Scores can range from 0 to 40 with scores ranging from 0 to 13 refer to low stress, from 14 to 26 refer to moderate stress, and from 27 to 40 refer to high perceived stress.
Statistical analysis
The statistical analysis was conducted using version 23 of the SPSS program. Descriptive statistics were utilized to express percentages and frequencies. Significance testing for categorical variables was performed using the Chi-square test, Fisher’s exact test (5 min per test) and Monte Carlo simulation (with a confidence level of 95%). Additionally, Cronbach’s alpha coefficient was computed for the Schutte Self-Report Emotional Intelligence (SSEIT) and Perceived Stress scales, resulting in values of 0.867 and 0.83, respectively. A p-value of ≤ 0.05 was considered statistically significant.
Results
In this study the total number of participants is 416. Amongst the 416 participants 51.9% belong to the age group of 18–20 years, and 40.1% belong to the age group 21–23 years. Concerning participants’ gender, 47.1% out of the 416 participants are males and 52.9% are females. Most of the participants in this study (40.1%) belong to mount Lebanon governorate. Concerning students who are studying medicine, 36.5% are currently studying at LU, 32.2% at BAU, and 31.3% at USJ (Table 1).
Table 1.
Sociodemographic characteristics of the study participants (N = 416)
| variables | Category | N (%) |
|---|---|---|
| Age | Less than 18 | 4 (1%) |
| 18–20 | 216 (51.9%) | |
| 21–23 | 167 (40.1%) | |
| 24–26 | 26 (6.3%) | |
| 27–29 | 1 (0.2%) | |
| Above than 29 | 2 (0.5%) | |
| Gender | Male | 196 (47.1%) |
| female | 220 (52.9%) | |
| Marital status | Single | 403 (96%) |
| Married | 10 (2.4%) | |
| Engaged | 3 (0.7%) | |
| Parents | Alive | 409 (98.3%) |
| Dead | 7 (1.7%) | |
| Family type | Nuclear | 391 (94%) |
| With mother alone | 19 (4.6) | |
| With father alone | 6 (1.4%) | |
| Family income per month | Less than 500$ | 75 (18%) |
| 500–1000$ | 125 (30%) | |
| 1000–1500$ | 68 (16.3%) | |
| 1500–2000$ | 55 (13.2%) | |
| More than 2000$ | 93 (22.4%) | |
| Governorate | Mount Lebanon | 167 (40.1%) |
| Beirut | 93 (22.4%) | |
| Bekaa | 48 (11.5%) | |
| North Lebanon | 42 (10.1%) | |
| South Lebanon | 32 (7.7%) | |
| Nabatieh | 24 (5.8%) | |
| Akkar | 10 (2.4%) | |
| Academic year | Med 1 | 67 (16.1%) |
| Med 2 | 97 (23.3%) | |
| Med 3 | 116 (27.9%) | |
| Med 4 | 70 (16.8%) | |
| Med 5 | 31 (7.5%) | |
| Med 6 | 20 (4.8%) | |
| Med 7 | 15 (3.6%) | |
| Universities in Lebanon | Lebanese university (LU) | 152 (36.5%) |
| Beirut Arab University (BAU) | 134 (32.2%) | |
| Université de Saint-Joseph (USJ) | 130 (31.3%) |
The Cronbach’s alpha coefficient for the Schutte’s Self- Report Emotional Intelligence (SSEIT) and Perceived Stress scales are 0.867 and 0.83, respectively.
Analysis of the Schutte Self-Report Emotional Intelligence Test (SSEIT) revealed varying patterns of responses across the different dimensions of emotional intelligence, including self-awareness, emotional regulation, motivation, empathy, and social skills (Table 2). Overall, a large proportion of participants reported positive emotional competencies. For example, 40.9% agreed that they knew when to discuss their personal problems with others, 53.6% agreed that they recalled previous successful experiences when facing obstacles, 51.2% reported being aware of their emotions as they experienced them, and 52.4% indicated that they could recognize others’ emotions through facial expressions. Furthermore, 50.5% agreed that they found problem-solving easier when in a positive mood, while 50.2% reported helping others feel better when they were down.
Table 2.
Distribution of participants’ responses to the Schutte Self-Report Emotional Intelligence Test (SSEIT) items (N = 416)
| Questions | Scale | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Strongly agree N (%) | agree N (%) | Neither disagree nor agree N (%) | Disagree N (%) | Strongly disagree N (%) | |
| I know when to speak about my personal problems to others | 124 (29.8) | 170 (40.9) | 53 (12.7) | 46 (11.1) | 22 (5.3) |
| When I am faced with obstacles, I remember times I faced similar obstacles and overcame them | 109 (26.2) | 223 (53.6) | 53 (12.7) | 18 (4.3) | 13 (3.1) |
| I expect that I will do well on most things I try | 81 (19.5) | 192 (46.2) | 96 (23.1) | 37 (8.9) | 10 (2.4) |
| Other people find it easy to confide in me | 116 (27.9) | 178 (42.8) | 91 (21.9) | 15 (3.6) | 16 (3.8) |
| *I find it hard to understand the non-verbal messages of other people* | 89 (21.4) | 171 (41.1) | 90 (21.6) | 49 (11.8) | 17 (4.1) |
| Some of the major events of my life have led me to reevaluate what is important and not important | 148 (35.6) | 179 (43.0) | 62 (14.9) | 17 (4.1) | 10 (2.4) |
| When my mood changes, I see new possibilities | 66 (15.9) | 164 (39.4) | 126 (30.3) | 44 (10.6) | 16 (3.8) |
| Emotions are one of the things that make my life worth living | 106 (25.5) | 167 (40.1) | 101 (24.3) | 29 (7.0) | 13 (3.1) |
| I am aware of my emotions as I experience them | 101 (24.3) | 213 (51.2) | 73 (17.5) | 19 (4.6) | 10 (2.4) |
| I expect good things to happen | 96 (23.1) | 179 (43.0) | 80 (19.2) | 43 (10.3) | 18 (4.3) |
| I like to share my emotions with others | 52 (12.5) | 98 (23.6) | 103 (24.8) | 107 (25.7) | 56 (13.5) |
| When I experience a positive emotion, I know how to make it last | 59 (14.2) | 152 (36.5) | 129 (31.0) | 63 (15.1) | 13 (3.1) |
| I arrange events others enjoy | 65 (15.6) | 152 (36.5) | 122 (29.3) | 54 (13.0) | 23 (5.5) |
| I seek out activities that make me happy | 93 (22.4) | 216 (51.9) | 75 (18.0) | 20 (4.8) | 12 (2.9) |
| I am aware of the non-verbal messages I send to others | 73 (17.5) | 200 (48.1) | 95 (22.8) | 36 (8.7) | 12 (2.9) |
| I present myself in a way that makes a good impression on others | 101 (24.3) | 218 (52.4) | 68 (16.3) | 20 (4.8) | 9 (2.2) |
| When I am in a positive mood, solving problems is easy for me | 123 (29.6) | 210 (50.5) | 61 (14.7) | 12 (2.9) | 10 (2.4) |
| By looking at their facial expressions, I recognize the emotions people are experiencing | 124 (29.8) | 218 (52.4) | 52 (12.5) | 9 (2.2) | 13 (3.1) |
| I know why my emotions change | 65 (15.6) | 178 (42.8) | 102 (24.5) | 54 (13.0) | 17 (4.1) |
| When I am in a positive mood, I am able to come up with new ideas | 104 (25.0) | 199 (47.8) | 88 (21.2) | 13 (3.1) | 12 (2.9) |
| I have control over my emotions | 52 (12.5) | 155 (37.3) | 119 (28.6) | 63 (15.1) | 27 (6.5) |
| I easily recognize my emotions as I experience them | 72 (17.3) | 223 (53.6) | 76 (18.3) | 32 (7.7) | 13 (3.1) |
| Questions | Scale | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Strongly agree N (%) | agree N (%) | Neither disagree nor agree N (%) | Disagree N (%) | Strongly disagree N (%) | |
| I motivate myself by imagining a good outcome to tasks I take on | 105 (25.2) | 195 (46.9) | 75 (18.0) | 28 (6.7) | 13 (3.1) |
| I compliment others when they have done something well | 150 (36.1) | 196 (47.1) | 49 (11.8) | 11 (2.6) | 10 (2.4) |
| I am aware of the non-verbal messages other people send | 86 (20.7) | 206(49.5) | 88 (21.2) | 25 (6.0) | 11 (2.6) |
| When another person tells me about an important event in his or her life, I almost feel as though I have experienced this event myself | 66 (15.9) | 161 (38.7) | 131 (31.5) | 43 (10.3) | 15 (3.6) |
| When I feel a change in emotions, I tend to come up with new ideas | 39 (9.4) | 158 (38.0) | 155 (37.3) | 52 (12.5) | 12 (2.9) |
| *When I am faced with a challenge, I give up because I believe I will fail | 162 (38.9) | 151 (36.3) | 52 (12.5) | 34 (8.2) | 17 (4.1) |
| I know what other people are feeling just by looking at them | 73 (17.5) | 199 (47.8) | 104 (25.0) | 29 (7.0) | 11 (2.6) |
| I help other people feel better when they are down | 128 (30.8) | 209 (50.2) | 55 (13.2) | 15 (3.6) | 9 (2.2) |
| I use good moods to help myself keep trying in the face of obstacles | 79 (19.0) | 207 (49.8) | 95 (22.8) | 22 (5.3) | 13 (3.1) |
| I can tell how people are feeling by listening to the tone of their voice | 103.00 (24.80) | 214 (51.4) | 64 (15.4) | 20 (4.8) | 15 (3.6) |
| *It is difficult for me to understand why people feel the way they do | 89 (21.4) | 161 (38.7) | 99 (23) | 48 (11.5) | 19 (4.6) |
Items marked with an asterisk (*) were reverse scored when calculating the total Schutte Self-Report Emotional Intelligence Test (SSEIT) score
Responses to the negatively worded (reverse-scored) SSEIT items showed that 41.1% agreed that they found it difficult to understand the non-verbal messages of others, 36.3% agreed that they tended to give up when they believed they would fail, and 38.7% agreed that it was difficult for them to understand why people felt the way they did. These items were reverse scored when calculating the overall SSEIT score. The distribution of responses for all individual SSEIT items is presented in (Table 2).
The mean EI score was 123.4 (SD = 17.76) out of a possible maximum score of 165. Overall, 15.6% of participants had unusually low EI, 68.0% had average EI, and 16.3% had unusually high EI (Fig. 1).
Fig. 1.
Distribution of emotional intelligence (EI) categories among the study participants (N = 416)
After the statistical analysis, the association between EI and stress was computed. Among the 415 participants with complete perceived-stress data, EI score is unusually low in people having high perceived stress (27.9%) and unusually high in people having low stress (36.1%) (p = 0.00 < 0.05) (Table 3).
Table 3.
Association between emotional intelligence categories and perceived stress levels among the study participants (N = 415)
| Emotional Intelligence |
Low stress N (%) |
Moderate stress N (%) |
High perceived stress N (%) |
Total N (%) |
p-value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unusually low | 3 (4.9%) | 45 (15.4%) | 17 (27.9%) | 65 (15.7%) | < 0.001* |
| Average | 36 (59%) | 210 (71.7%) | 36 (59.0%) | 282 (68%) | |
| Unusually high | 22 (36.1%) | 38 (13.0%) | 8 (13.1%) | 69 (16.4%) | |
| Total | 61 (14.7%) | 293 (70.6%) | 61 (14.7%) | 415 (100%) |
One participant had missing data for the Perceived Stress Scale and was excluded from this analysis (n = 415)
*p-value <0.05, statistically significant
A significant association was found between happiness and EI (p < 0.001). Participants who identified as unhappy had notably low EI (49.2%), while those who considered themselves happy demonstrated high EI (86.8%). Similarly, an association was observed between happiness and stress (p < 0.001). Individuals who reported being the happiest were primarily those with low stress levels (17.3%), whereas those who were not happy exhibited high stress levels (33%).
Moreover, we found an association between the governorate and EI (p = 0.032), EI score was highest in medical students that belong to Bekaa (27.1%) (Table 4).
Table 4.
Association between demographic and academic characteristics and emotional intelligence among the study participants (N = 416)
| Variable | categories | EI score levels (%) | P-value | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unusually low EI | Average EI | Unusually high EI | |||
| N (%) | N (%) | N (%) | |||
| Age | Less than 18 | 1 (25%) | 3 (75%) | 0 (0%) | 0.264 |
| 18–20 | 32 (14.8%) | 151 (69.9%) | 33 (15.3%) | ||
| 21–23 | 23 (13.8%) | 112 (67.1%) | 32 (19.2%) | ||
| 24–26 | 9 (34.6%) | 15 (57.7%) | 2 (7.7%) | ||
| 27–29 | 0 (0%) | 1 (100%) | 0 (0%) | ||
| Above than 29 | 0 (0%) | 1 (50%) | 1 (50%) | ||
| Gender | Male | 34 (17.3%) | 131 (66.8%) | 31 (15.8%) | 0.549 |
| female | 31 (14%) | 152 (69.1%) | 37 (16.8%) | ||
| Marital status | Single | 65 (16.1%) | 275 (68.2%) | 63 (15.6%) | 0.180 |
| Married | 0 (0%) | 6 (60%) | 4 (40%) | ||
| Engaged | 0 (0%) | 2 (66.7%) | 1 (33%) | ||
| Parents | Alive | 65 (15.9%) | 277 (67.7%) | 67 (16.4%) | 0.482 |
| Dead | 0 (0%) | 6 (85.7%) | 1 (14.3%) | ||
| Family type | Nuclear | 62 (15.9%) | 269 (68.8%) | 60 (15.3%) | 0.083 |
| With mother alone | 1 (5.3%) | 11 (57.9%) | 7 (36.8%) | ||
| With father alone | 2 (33.3%) | 3 (50%) | 1 (16.7%) | ||
| Family income per month | Less than 500$ | 17 (22.7%) | 40 (53.3%) | 18 (24%) | 0.072 |
| 500–1000$ | 16 (12.8%) | 93 (74.4%) | 16 (12.8%) | ||
| 1000–1500$ | 7 (10.3%) | 51 (75%) | 10 (14.7%) | ||
| 1500–2000$ | 8 (14.5%) | 41 (74.5%) | 6 (10.9%) | ||
| More than 2000$ | 17 (18.3%) | 58 (62.4%) | 18 (19.4%) | ||
| Governorate | Mount Lebanon | 27 (16.2%) | 112 (67.1%) | 28 (16.8%) | 0.032^* |
| Beirut | 18 (19.4%) | 67 (72%) | 8 (8.6%) | ||
| Bekaa | 3 (6.3%) | 32 (66.7%) | 13 (27.1%) | ||
| North Lebanon | 3 (7.1%) | 32 (67.2%) | 7 (16.7%) | ||
| South Lebanon | 4 (12.5%) | 21 (65.6%) | 7 (21.9%) | ||
| Nabatieh | 9 (37.5%) | 12 (50%) | 3 (12.5%) | ||
| Akkar | 1 (10%) | 7 (70%) | 2 (20%) | ||
| Universities in Lebanon | Lebanese university (LU) | 26 (17.1%) | 93 (61.2%) | 33 (21%) | 0.117 |
| Beirut Arab University (BAU) | 22 (16.4%) | 97 (72.4%) | 15 (11.2%) | ||
| Université de Saint-Joseph (USJ) | 17 (13.1%) | 93 (71.5%) | 20 (15.4%) | ||
| Academic year | Med 1 | 7 (10.4%) | 50 (74.6%) | 10 (14.9%) | 0.042^* |
| Med 2 | 16 (16.5%) | 71 (73.2%) | 10 (10.3%) | ||
| Med 3 | 18 (15.5%) | 77 (66.4%) | 21 (18.1%) | ||
| Med 4 | 12 (17.1%) | 39 (55.7%) | 19 (27.1%) | ||
| Med 5 | 2 (6.5%) | 23 (74.2%) | 6 (19.4%) | ||
| Med 6 | 4 (19%) | 16 (76.2%) | 1 (4.8%) | ||
| Med 7 | 6 (42.9%) | 7 (50%) | 1 (7.1%) | ||
^fisher’s exact test with monte Carlo. *p-value <0.05, statistically significant
Likewise, an association between governorate and stress was also noted (p = 0.018). It was found that stress was lowest among medical students that live in Mount Lebanon (16.8%) (Table 6).
Table 6.
Association between psychosocial factors and perceived stress among the study participants
| Variables | Categories | Stress score scale | P-value | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Low stress | Moderate stress | High stress | |||
| Friendship more than 4 years | No | 0 (0.0%) | 17 (63%) | 10 (37%) | < 0.001^* |
| Yes | 61 (15.7%) | 276 (71.1%) | 51 (13.1%) | ||
| when you feel demotivated is it hard to recover from that? | No | 47 (22.6%) | 148 (71.2%) | 13 (6.3%) | < 0.001* |
| Yes | 11 (5.5%) | 142 (70.6%) | 48 (23.9%) | ||
| Do you consider yourself a happy person? | No | 5 (5.5%) | 56 (61.5%) | 30 (33%) | < 0.001* |
| Yes | 56 (17.3%) | 237 (73.1%) | 31 (9.6%) | ||
| Are you proud of yourself? | No | 4 (8.7%) | 28 (60.9%) | 14 (30.4%) | 0.005* |
| Yes | 57 (15.4%) | 265 (71.8%) | 47 (12.7%) | ||
| Governorate | Mount Lebanon | 28 (16.8%) | 114 (68.3%) | 25 (15%) | 0.018^* |
| Beirut | 3 (3.2%) | 73 (78.5%) | 17 (18.3%) | ||
| Bekaa | 8 (16.7%) | 32 (66.7%) | 8 (16.7%) | ||
| North Lebanon | 6 (14.6%) | 31 (75.6%) | 4 (9.8%) | ||
| South Lebanon | 6 (18.8%) | 24 (75%) | 2 (6.3%) | ||
| Nabatieh | 7 (29.2%) | 14 (58.3%) | 3 (12.5%) | ||
| Akkar | 3 (30%) | 5 (50%) | 2 (20%) | ||
^fisher’s exact test with monte Carlo. *p-value <0.05, statistically significant
Alcohol consumption and academic year were significantly associated with EI (p = 0.008 and p = 0.042, respectively). Participants who reported alcohol consumption had a higher proportion of unusually high EI scores, while fourth-year medical students had the highest proportion of unusually high EI compared with students in other academic years.
An association was also identified between dog ownership and EI (p = 0.004). Students with dogs had the highest EI (19.6%), whereas those without dogs had the lowest (30.9%) (Table 5).
Table 5.
Association between psychosocial and lifestyle factors and emotional intelligence among the study participants
| Variable | categories | EI score levels (%) | P-value | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unusually low EI | Average EI | Unusually high EI | |||
| N (%) | N (%) | N (%) | |||
| Stress | Low | 3 (4.9%) | 36 (59%) | 22 (36.1%) | < 0.001* |
| Average | 45 (15.4%) | 210 (71.7%) | 38 (13%) | ||
| high | 17 (27.9%) | 36 (59%) | 8 (13.1%) | ||
| Do you consider yourself a happy person? | No | 32 (49.2%) | 50 (17.7%) | 9 (13.2%) | < 0.001* |
| yes | 33 (50.8%) | 233 (82.3%) | 59 (86.8%) | ||
| Do you drink alcohol? | No | 60 (17.4%) | 236 (68.4%) | 49 (14.2%) | 0.008* |
| Yes | 5 (7%) | 47 (66.2%) | 19 (26.8%) | ||
| Dog ownership | No | 25 (30.9%) | 48 (59.3%) | 8 (9.9%) | 0.004* |
| Yes | 3 (6.5%) | 34 (73.9%) | 9 (19.6%) | ||
| Self pride | No | 15 (32.6%) | 29 (63%) | 2 (4.3%) | 0.001* |
| Yes | 50 (13.5%) | 254 (68.6%) | 66 (17.8%) | ||
*p-value <0.05, statistically significant
Moreover, a significant relationship was observed between stress and long-term friendships (p < 0.001) as well as stress and demotivation (p < 0.001). Participants who had friendships lasting more than four years reported low stress levels (15.7%), whereas those without such friendships experienced higher stress levels (37%). Additionally, individuals who felt demotivated had significantly higher stress levels (23.9%), whereas those who felt motivated reported lower stress levels (22.6%) (Table 6).
The study also revealed an association between self-pride and EI (p = 0.001), as well as between self-pride and stress levels (p = 0.005). Medical students who did not feel proud of themselves had relatively low EI (32.6%), while those who felt proud exhibited an unusually high EI (17.8%) (Table 5).
Similarly, students who did not feel proud of themselves had higher stress levels (30.4%), whereas those who did feel proud reported lower stress levels (16.8%) (Table 6).
Finally, no significant association was found between EI and factors such as age, gender, or socioeconomic status.
Discussion
The study of EI scores was done on 416 participating students, exploring their associations with diverse factors. The mean EI score of 123.4 (SD = 17.76) in our sample reflects the nature of EI within this population, and the subsequent analysis has unveiled several noteworthy associations.
The association between EI and stress was found to be statistically significant (p = 0.00 < 0.05), indicating a compelling interplay between EI and stress levels. Interestingly, individuals with high perceived stress demonstrated unusually low EI scores (27.9%), while those with low stress exhibited unusually high EI scores (36.1%). One possible explanation for this finding is the demanding nature of medical education that can create high-pressure situations, poor time management skills, sleep deprivation and administrative responsibilities. To our knowledge, few previous studies have specifically examined the association between perceived stress and emotional intelligence among medical students in Lebanon. Our study fills this gap in the existing literature by examining this crucial relationship within the specific context of medical education.
Similarly, a significant association was observed between happiness and stress (p = 0.00 < 0.05), emphasizing the impact of emotional well-being on stress levels. Those reporting high levels of happiness were predominantly found among individuals with low stress (17.3%), contrasting with a higher prevalence of stress among those reporting lower happiness levels (33%). One possible explanation is that individuals with higher levels of happiness may engage more frequently in self-care behaviors, thereby reducing perceived stress. A study titled: marked happiness in clinical medical students: A cross-sectional multicenter study published in December 2023 showed that reducing the stress in medical students’ lives makes them happier. These findings are consistent with those of the present study since both test medical students which makes us conclude they live a healthy lifestyle-more physical activity and less tobacco smoking [22].
Consistent with previous studies published, an association was found between happiness and EI. According to a study done in Shiraz University of medical sciences in Iran titled: The relationship between EI and happiness in medical students, showed a significant association between happiness and EI. Students who are happier have higher EI and are healthier [18]. Our study also found that emotional intelligence (EI) was associated with certain demographic factors. In particular, the geographical region (governorate) showed a significant relationship with EI scores (p = 0.032). Medical students from the Bekaa region had the highest EI scores (27.1%) compared to students from other regions. This difference may be partly explained by variations in living environments, especially between rural and urban areas. Growing up in rural communities often involves closer social relationships, stronger family ties, and frequent face-to-face interactions. These daily experiences can naturally help individuals become more aware of their own emotions and those of others, fostering empathy, communication, and emotional understanding. In contrast, life in urban settings may be faster-paced and more individual-focused, which can reduce opportunities for deeper interpersonal connections. As a result, individuals from rural areas may develop higher emotional intelligence, which can positively influence their ability to build supportive relationships and contribute to a cohesive community. On the contrary another 2 cross-sectional studies by Ali Vasefi and Preetha Susan George showed that there is no significant relationship. This can be because of environmental and cultural differences between Lebanon and the 2 other countries where this study was conducted [6, 23].
Alcohol consumption was significantly associated with EI categories in the present study (p = 0.008), with a higher proportion of unusually high EI observed among participants who reported alcohol consumption. However, this finding should be interpreted cautiously because the study did not assess the frequency, quantity, duration, or context of alcohol use. The observed association may reflect unmeasured social, cultural, or lifestyle characteristics rather than a direct effect of alcohol consumption on emotional intelligence. Previous studies have reported inconsistent findings regarding the relationship between alcohol use and EI; therefore, further research using more detailed measures of alcohol consumption and adjustment for potential confounding variables is needed to clarify this association [5, 24].
Similarly, owning a dog was associated with higher EI ratings (19.6%) as opposed to people who did not own a dog (30.9%). This finding is consistent with a previous study in a 2018 comparison research titled “Effect of attitude toward pet on emotional intelligence.” According to this study, those who love pets have better EI scores than those who do not. This can be justified by the fact that animals decrease loneliness and stress, lift your mood, and hence increase EI. They contend that attitudes regarding pets and people are similar [25, 26].
Even so, in a previous study there is an alignment with our findings related to the impact of academic progression on emotional intelligence. The study identifies a significant association between EI and academic year (p = 0.02). Notably, like our study, it observes higher EI scores among fourth-year medical students (30.9%) compared to their counterparts in other academic years. It reports a response rate of 64% from 429 participating medical students, with the largest age group being 20–24 years (48%). While the study analyzes age, gender, and other factors, it does not find a significant impact of gender on global trait EI scores. This corresponds with our observation that gender did not significantly influence EI within our medical student population. Additionally, the paper explores the relationship between semesters and global trait emotional intelligence, finding a significant difference between first year and final-year students. This aligns with our study’s emphasis on academic progression, where we observed higher EI scores among third-year medical students. The similarity between both studies is because both studies consider the European curriculum [7, 9].
Also, certain psychosocial factors were associated with stress levels. Friendship duration exceeding four years was inversely correlated with stress (p = 0.001), with those having longer-lasting friendships exhibiting lower stress levels (15.7%). Previous research suggesting indicated that subjects perceived more social support after interacting with a friend than with a stranger [27]. They were less depressed and were judged to be more confident. This matches our study because choosing a friend to talk about concerning your problems rather than choosing alcohol or smoking instead will help you decrease the levels of stress, depression, and social anxiety. This study was conducted in 1992, and unfortunately, we were unable to locate more recent studies on this topic. Therefore, further research is needed to explore and investigate this subject [28].
Conversely, feelings of demotivation were positively correlated with stress (p = 0.00), with a high percentage of stress reported among those experiencing demotivation (23.9%) compared to motivated peers (22.6%). This finding may reflect the demanding academic and personal challenges experienced by medical students. Demotivation is triggered by lack of energy which can be emotional, mental, and physical fatigue. Similar findings also highlighted that stress accompanying academic studies in med school is linked to worse performance, poor satisfaction, intentions to quit, and elevated depression and anxiety [29].
Finally, self-satisfaction was found to influence both EI and stress levels significantly. Students who reported feeling proud of themselves exhibited higher EI scores (17.6%) and lower stress levels (15.4%), contrasting with lower EI scores (32.6%) and higher stress levels (30.4%) among those who did not feel proud. Pride boosts self-esteem, which will increase confidence to reach fulfillment. This will increase the active engagement in daily activities, and the interaction of medical students along with patients and other health care team members. Therefore, the sense of pride will increase EI score and decrease stress. To our knowledge, this association has not been previously reported in the literature. This study aims to fill a significant gap in the current understanding of emotional and psychological well-being in academic settings.
Notably, our study revealed no significant associations between EI and age, gender, or socioeconomic factors. The reason why EI is not related to age is since EI is a skill and can be continuously developed at any age. It all depends on being more self-aware, the ability to evaluate our own cognitive and emotional functions as well as our behaviors through learning from interactions and seeking feedback regardless of the individual’s age.
In contrast to our findings, the paper titled “EI among medical students: a cross sectional study from central Kerala, India” by Preetha Susan George et al. observed an association between age and emotional intelligence. In this study, they found that medical students having good EI are among the age group 23–26. This can be clarified that EI increases with age because as the individual gets older and more mature, they will be able to understand their emotions and others too due to the life experiences they went through. Therefore, age alone may not adequately explain variations in emotional intelligence. Also, medical students with previous work experience had significantly higher EI scores than those without such experience [10]. Moreover, it can be added that in addition to what is stated above, the inconsistency of the findings could also be due to different population sizes. These findings highlight the need for further research to better understand the factors influencing emotional intelligence among medical students [6].
In conclusion, these findings contribute to our understanding of the multi-faced relationships involving emotional intelligence, stress, and various socio-demographic factors among medical students. Future research should explore the mechanisms underlying these associations and consider potential interventions to enhance EI and well-being in this population.
Limitations
When it comes to researching EI among med students using a cross-sectional study design, there are a few limitations to consider. Initially, is that the study may be subjected to information bias since it is a survey. Secondly, there was 1 missing data point, but it doesn’t affect the accuracy and completeness of the study. finally, we used the Monte Carlo results for the Fisher Exact Test due to the limitations of the Fisher Exact Test in handling our study specific data set. When dealing with larger tables where Fisher’s Exact Test becomes computationally intensive, one alternative is to use a Monte Carlo simulation. This approach involves generating random distributions under the null hypothesis and estimating the p-value based on how often the simulated data sets are as extreme as or more extreme than the observed data. This method offers a faster and reasonably accurate way to compute an approximate p-value for large tables.
Despite these limitations, studying EI among med students is important for understanding their emotional well-being and can contribute to their success as future healthcare professionals.
Conclusion
EI reflects the ability to recognize, understand, and regulate one’s own emotions, as well as to appreciate how these emotions influence interactions with patients, peers, and colleagues. Although intelligence quotient has traditionally received greater attention in medical education, increasing evidence highlights the importance of emotional intelligence in students’ academic and professional development. In the present study, most Lebanese medical students demonstrated average emotional intelligence levels. Emotional intelligence was significantly associated with perceived stress, happiness, dog ownership, alcohol consumption, academic year, governorate, and self-pride. In addition, motivation, happiness, self-pride, and longer-lasting friendships were associated with lower perceived stress. Given the cross-sectional design, these findings should be interpreted as associations rather than causal relationships. Integrating emotional intelligence development, emotional well-being, and stress-management strategies into medical education may help support students’ personal and professional growth. Future longitudinal studies are warranted to better understand the mechanisms underlying these associations and to evaluate interventions aimed at enhancing emotional intelligence and well-being among medical students.
Acknowledgments
Patient and public involvement
Patients and/or the public were not involved in the design, conduct, reporting, or dissemination plans of this research.
Abbreviations
- BAU
Beirut Arab University
- EI
Emotional intelligence
- IRB
Institutional review board
- LU
Lebanese University
- PSS
Perceived Stress Scale
- SD
Standard deviation
- SPSS
Statistical Package for the Social Sciences
- SSEIT
The Schutte Self-Report EI (SSEIT)
- USJ
Saint Joseph University
Authors’ contributions
MC conceived and designed the study and supervised all aspects of the research process, including methodology development, statistical analysis, manuscript writing, editing, and revision. HE contributed to the study methodology development, manuscript writing, and revision, and served as the research assistant for the study. JY, AS, WS, HD, JD, and AEA contributed to the methodology development and manuscript writing. JY, AS, WS, and AEA contributed to data collection, while JY, AS, and WS contributed to data analysis and statistical analysis. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.
Funding
This research received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.
Data availability
The datasets generated and/or analyzed during the current study are anonymous and are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
Declarations
Ethics approval and consent to participate
The study received ethical approval from the Institutional Review Board of Beirut Arab University (IRB No. 2024-H-0143-M-R-0585). Participation was voluntary, and electronic informed consent was obtained from all participants before accessing the questionnaire. Participants who selected “I do not consent” were unable to proceed with the survey. No personally identifiable information was collected, and all responses remained anonymous and confidential. All study procedures were conducted in accordance with the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki.
Consent for publication
Not applicable.
Competing interests
The authors declare no competing interests.
Footnotes
Publisher’s Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
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Associated Data
This section collects any data citations, data availability statements, or supplementary materials included in this article.
Data Availability Statement
The datasets generated and/or analyzed during the current study are anonymous and are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.