The Role of Emotional Intelligence in Psychological Rehabilitation after Traumatic Events in Military Personnel

Introduction: military personnel often experience trauma, leading to PTSD, depression, and anxiety. Emotional intelligence was believed to play a role in psychological recovery. To examine the relationship between EI and psychological rehabilitation outcomes in military personnel and to assess if higher EI correlated with reduced psychological distress.Methods: a cross-sectional survey design was used to collect data from 384 military personnel and veterans. EI was assessed using validated tools (MSCEIT, TEIQue), while PTSD, depression, and anxiety were measured using PCL-5 and DASS-21. Statistical analysis included correlation and regression modelling.Results: the results showed moderate to high levels of EI, PTSD symptoms, depression, and anxiety. EI was significantly negatively correlated with PTSD symptoms (p=0,001) but showed no significant correlations with depression or anxiety. Regression analysis revealed that EI significantly predicted PTSD symptoms (p=0,001) but did not significantly affect depression or anxiety. Additionally, individuals with higher EI experienced fewer PTSD symptoms compared to those with lower EI (p=0,000). These findings underscored the importance of EI in mitigating PTSD symptoms but not as a major predictor of depression or anxiety.Conclusions: higher emotional intelligence significantly reduced PTSD symptoms, highlighting its potential as a key factor in psychological recovery, while its impact on depression and anxiety remained limited.