Correlation of Emotional Intelligence and Its Factors Influencing Medical Students at a Tertiary Care Setup, Puducherry: An Analytical and Cross-sectional Study

Abstract Context: The term “emotional intelligence” (EI) describes the ability “to monitor one’s own and others” feelings and emotions, to discriminate between them and to use the information to guide one’s thinking and actions. Materials and Methods: An analytical and cross-sectional study, probability proportional to size PPS was used as sampling technique to obtain the sample size ( n = 672). The study was conducted with the help of a prevalidated semistructured questionnaire which includes demographic questions and Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire-Short Form Scale. Statistical Analysis: Data were coded and entered in Microsoft Excel worksheet. IBM SPSS statistics 25 were used for the analysis of both descriptive and analytical data. The categorical variables are summarized as proportions. The continuous variables are summarized as mean and standard deviation. In this study, a P ≤ 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Of the 911 invited medical students, 672 responded, 298 were male (44.3%) and 374 were female (55.7). The participants had a mean global trait EI score of 3.86. Second-year MBBS students demonstrated significantly higher global trait EI score of 17.41%. There was no association between sociodemographic variables and EI level. Correlation coefficient is significant among factors, positive relationship between well-being and self-control, emotionality, sociability, and global trait ( P = 0.000). Conclusions: This study reinforces the critical role of EI in medical education and highlights the need for tailored interventions to enhance EI among medical students. By addressing both intrinsic and extrinsic factors, medical educators can contribute to developing emotionally intelligent doctors who are better equipped to handle the challenges of modern healthcare.