A preliminary study of acceptability, feasibility and effects of a mindful self-compassion intervention on emotional intelligence and wellbeing among psychiatry residents

BackgroundNon-compliance with clinical practice guidelines in trauma remains common, in part because physicians make diagnostic errors when triaging injured patients. Deliberate practice, purposeful participation in a training task under the oversight of a coach, effectively changes behavior in procedural domains of medicine but has rarely been used to improve diagnostic skill. We plan a pilot parallel randomized trial to test the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary effect of a novel deliberate practice intervention to reduce physician diagnostic errors in trauma triage.MethodsWe will randomize a national convenience sample of physicians who work at non-trauma centers (n = 60) in a 1:1 ratio to a deliberate practice intervention or to a passive control. We will use a customized, theory-based serious video game as the basis of our training task, selected based on its behavior change techniques and game mechanics, along with a coaching manual to standardize the fidelity of the intervention delivery. The intervention consists of three 30-min sessions with content experts (coaches), conducted remotely, during which physicians (trainees) play the game and receive feedback on their diagnostic processes. We will assess (a) the fidelity with which the intervention is delivered by reviewing video recordings of the coaching sessions; (b) the acceptability of the intervention through surveys and semi-structured interviews, and (c) the effect of the intervention by comparing the performance of trainees and a control group of physicians on a validated virtual simulation. We hypothesize that trainees will make ≥ 25% fewer diagnostic errors on the simulation than control physicians, a large effect size. We additionally hypothesize that ≥ 90% of trainees will receive their intervention as planned.ConclusionsThe results of the trial will inform the decision to proceed with a future hybrid effectiveness-implementation trial of the intervention. It will also provide a deeper understanding of the challenges of using deliberate practice to modify the diagnostic skill of physicians.Trial registrationClinical trials.gov (NCT05168579); 23 December 2021.

Perceived Impact of Affect Labeling and Social Sharing in Healthcare: Insights from a Pilot Study and Opportunities for Future Investigation

The authors assessed the relationship between Emotional Intelligence (EI) and Psychiatry Resident In-Training Exam (PRITE) scores. EI is important to the therapeutic alliance. The hypothesis tested was that PRITE scores would correlate with EI. Adult Psychiatry residents participated. The PRITE was administered, and participants completed the online Bar-On Emotional Intelligence Quotient questionnaire. Pearson correlation coefficients were calculated for PRITE score and overall EI score, and with the 15 EI subscales. The correlation for PRITE and overall EI was not significant. Three EI subscales had statistically significant correlations with PRITE score: empathy, social responsibility, and impulse control. There was no significant correlation between overall EI and PRITE scores. There was an inverse relationship between PRITE scores and empathy, social responsibility, and impulse control. The authors discuss possible explanations for these relationships.

Supporting someone through chemotherapy can be emotionally and physically demanding. However, research has yet to establish the type of support carers require or the best way to provide this. This study tested the feasibility and acceptability of a complex intervention for carers that was co-designed by staff and carers of patients starting chemotherapy. Forty-seven carers were recruited, randomised between the intervention (n = 24) and control (n = 23) groups. A questionnaire was completed pre- and post-intervention measuring knowledge of chemotherapy and its side effects, experience of care, satisfaction with outpatient services, coping and emotional wellbeing. The intervention process was evaluated by carers and healthcare professionals (HCPs) in focus groups. Recruitment to the study was unproblematic and attrition from it was low, suggesting the intervention and study processes were acceptable to patients and carers. Carers in receipt of the 'Take Care' intervention reported statistically significantly better understanding of symptoms and side effects and their information needs being more frequently met than carers in the control. Confidence in coping improved between baseline and follow-up for the intervention group and declined for the control although differences were insufficient to achieve statistical significance. There was no significant difference between the two groups' emotional wellbeing. HCP and carer focus groups confirmed the feasibility and acceptability of the intervention. The 'Take Care' intervention proved acceptable to carers and HCPs and demonstrates considerable promise and utility in practice. Study findings support the conduct of a fully powered RCT to determine the intervention's effectiveness and cost-effectiveness.

Introduction: Fatigue is one of the most common and disabling symptoms experienced during cancer treatment. Educational interventions are used by health professionals, such as occupational therapists, to manage cancer-related fatigue; however, there is a lack of information about the content, format and effectiveness of educational interventions in managing fatigue. This paper presents the development and structure of CAN-FIT, a theoretically driven cancer-related fatigue educational intervention, and a preliminary study of the intervention's feasibility and acceptability. Preliminary evaluation: The CAN-FIT programme was piloted with two groups with a total of nine radiotherapy patients. Patients completed a confidential evaluation form and were asked qualitative questions to provide feedback about the programme. The results of the preliminary study indicated that the intervention was acceptable to and feasible for participants. The participants reported that they received a high level of new information and skills from the education sessions and would recommend the sessions to others. Small modifications to programme components were made based on participant feedback. Conclusion: The CAN-FIT programme provided a feasible structured educational intervention for the management of cancer-related fatigue, which was acceptable to the participant sample. A randomised controlled trial is required to provide evidence of its effectiveness among the wider radiotherapy population.

Childhood obesity is a growing problem with a complex aetiology, for which multidisciplinary interventions are required. Our programme describes a novel structured psychosocial family-based intervention targeting the emotional regulation in childhood obesity, using a train trip metaphor aimed at improving healthy lifestyles for the family. The aims were (a) to describe the feasibility and acceptability of this psychosocial family-based intervention among children with overweight or obesity in primary care and (b) to examine the effectiveness of the "ENTREN-F" programme (with family intervention) compared with the "ENTREN" programme (without family intervention) among Spanish children regarding anthropometric variables, physical activity, emotional well-being, and family functioning. Children were randomly allocated to either ENTREN-F programme (n = 30) or psychological intervention for children (ENTREN, n = 40), and assessments were carried out over time (T0 baseline vs. T1 post/6-month vs. T2 6-month follow-up). Both parent groups expressed high levels of satisfaction with the interventions. ENTREN-F resulted in higher adherence to treatment and was more effective in improving z-body mass index, reducing children's anxiety, and increasing family adaptability than the ENTREN programme. There were no significant changes in parents' emotional well-being and expressed emotion. Both groups improved in the children's emotional well-being and light physical activity. In summary, this multidisciplinary psychosocial family-based intervention was succesful.

Background: The development of the emotional intelligence of leaders has become an exceptionally popular enterprise. However, the empirical research conducted by practitioners to date does not provide convincing evidence of the effectiveness of emotional intelligence development interventions. Robust and informative research on the effectiveness of coaching to develop the emotional intelligence of leaders is lacking.Aim: The purpose of this study was to determine, describe and evaluate the impact of a theoretically substantiated coaching intervention on the emotional and social intelligence competencies of leaders in a financial services company.Setting: The setting of the study is a financial services company in South Africa.Methods: A mixed method approach using a quantitative and qualitative research design was considered appropriate. The quantitative research method consisted of a quasi-experimental design using a non-equivalent pre- and post test control group to measure the impact of the coaching intervention on a sample of 30 leaders. The Bar-On EQ-i scale was selected as a reliable and valid measure of emotional and social intelligence competencies. Wilcoxon’s statistic was calculated to determine the statistical significance of score differences between the experimental (N = 30) and control (N = 30) groups. The qualitative research method was comprised of semi-structured interviews with six of the leaders and their supervisors.Results: The statistical results indicated that coaching significantly impacted the emotional and social intelligence competencies of leaders in terms of their overall emotional quotient (EQ), intrapersonal competency, interpersonal skills, stress management, self-regard and empathy. The semi-structured interviews provided rich descriptive themes and evaluations that corroborated the quantitative findings.Conclusion: This research provided convincing empirical evidence of the positive impact of a long-term, spaced and goal-focused coaching intervention on the emotional and social intelligence competencies of leaders in a financial services institution. The finding suggests that a theoretically well substantiated coaching intervention and a robust empirical study can be effective in demonstrating the impact of coaching on the emotional and social intelligence competencies of leaders. However, the implications of the limitations pointed out in this study could have influenced the findings, and future research aimed at improving relevant research models should take these into account.

This study contributes to our understanding of the role performed by emotional intelligence in between self-evaluative traits and emotional well-being. We developed and tested a mediation model linking self-evaluative traits through emotional intelligence on predicting emotional and spiritual well-being. Drawing on our model posits that the effects of self-evaluative such as self-esteem, self-efficacy and locus of control are mediated by emotional intelligence on generating emotional and spiritual well-being. Overall data from 262 nurses from various government hospitals in Pondicherry Union territory support this model. This suggests that incorporation of emotional intelligence with self-evaluative traits on generating emotional and spiritual well-being is essential. Implication, directions of future research or discussed.

This study contributes to our understanding of the role performed by emotional intelligence in between self-evaluative traits and emotional well-being. We developed and tested a mediation model linking self-evaluative traits through emotional intelligence on predicting emotional and spiritual well-being. Drawing on our model posits that the effects of self-evaluative such as self-esteem, self-efficacy and locus of control are mediated by emotional intelligence on generating emotional and spiritual well-being. Overall data from 262 nurses from various government hospitals in Pondicherry Union territory support this model. This suggests that incorporation of emotional intelligence with self-evaluative traits on generating emotional and spiritual well-being is essential. Implication, directions of future research or discussed.

BackgroundSelf-care practices in heart failure (HF) contribute to quality of life, symptom stabilization, and extended life expectancy. However, adherence to practices such as liquid and salt restriction or symptom monitoring require high motivation on a daily basis. The aim was to assess the feasibility, acceptability, and potential effectiveness of a nursing intervention with family caregivers, aimed at improving self-care practice of HF patients.MethodsThis pilot study involved 32 HF patient-caregiver dyads (16/group) randomized to an experimental (EG) or control group (CG). The intervention, based on the Self-Determination Theory, was designed to enhance patients’ autonomy and motivation in self-care practices, by involving their caregivers’ support. Five encounters were planned with the EG dyads—two face-to-face during hospitalization and three by telephone after discharge. The feasibility of delivering the protocol was evaluated as well as the acceptability of the intervention. The potential effectiveness of the intervention was assessed based on patient outcomes, including general self-care management and self-care specific to HF, perceived competence to manage HF, autonomous motivation (A-motivation, external extrinsic motivation, internal extrinsic motivation, and intrinsic motivation), and perceived support from the caregiver. Caregiver outcomes included level of support provided to the patient.ResultsDespite recruitment challenges, the intervention was feasible, with 12 of the 16 dyads receiving all 5 encounters delivered per protocol. The 4 other dyads received the two hospital encounters, but at least 1 of the 3 post-discharge planned telephone encounters was not feasible because the patients had been re-hospitalized or was deceased. Participant’s satisfaction with the intervention was high. Outcomes favoring the EG include self-care specific to HF, internal extrinsic motivation, intrinsic motivation, and caregiver’s feeling that they provide a higher level of support.ConclusionsCaregiver involvement was found to be both a feasible and acceptable means of supporting self-care practice in HF patients. This approach presents a potential avenue for enhancing patients’ efforts in this regard. However, this pilot study offers preliminary findings only, which need to be replicated in a phase 3 clinical trial.

The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between psychological well-being, emotional intelligence, and social well-being levels of university students. The predictive role of emotional intelligence and social well-being on psychological well-being was also examined. The study group was comprised of 305 students from various faculties and undergraduate schools of Sakarya University. “Scales of Psychological Well-being”, “Emotional Intelligence Scale”, “Social Well-Being Scale” and “Personal Information Form” were used to collect the data. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, independent sample t-test, one way ANOVA, correlation and linear regression. Findings of the study revealed that psychological well-being was positively related to emotional intelligence and social well-being. Additionally, psychological well-being was positively predicted by emotional intelligence and social well-being. Emotional intelligence and social well-being levels of female students were found to be significantly higher than those of male students. It was also found that psychological well-being of university students did not differ significantly in gender. Furthermore, psychological well-being, emotional intelligence and social well-being levels of students did not differ significantly in perceived income. It was also found that emotional intelligence and social well-being of students in terms of field of study differed significantly whereas psychological well-being of students did not show any significant difference. Finally, the results indicated that psychological well-being, emotional intelligence and social well-being levels of students did not differ significantly in terms of parental attitude, parental education and academic achievements of students.

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of a brief mindfulness-based intervention (b-MBI) on the levels of mindfulness, perceived stress and emotional intelligence (EI). Fifty-nine undergraduate students in medicine course were randomly allocated to either 4 weekly b-MBI sessions (n = 30) or waitlist control (n = 29). All participants completed Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10) and USM Emotional Quotient Inventory (USMEQ-i) at pre- and post-intervention. Findings from mixed-factorial ANOVA revealed significant cross-over interactions, but no significant main effects of treatment conditions and time, on mindfulness and perceived stress. Post-hoc analyses indicated intervention group to experience significantly increased levels of mindfulness (p = 0.012) and decreased perceived stress (p = 0.003) at post-intervention, which were unobserved in the controls. Significant main effect of time was observed (p = 0.001) for EI; however, only intervention group reported significant increase in the scores (p = 0.004). The lack of between-group treatment effects could be justified due to relatively low stress and high EI for intervention and control groups at baseline. Nonetheless, within-group findings provided preliminary evidence that b-MBI may be beneficial in improving mindfulness, perceived stress and EI. This intervention may be adapted into the medical curriculum to improve the psychological well-being of medical students.

Emotional intelligence has been conceptualized as a constellation of emotional perceptions (trait emotional intelligence) or a set of skills to process emotional-related information (ability emotional intelligence). It has been found that trait emotional intelligence is a more powerful predictor of subjective well-being than is ability emotional intelligence. Although the relationship between trait emotional intelligence and well-being has been well-documented, empirical studies exploring the processes underlying this association are still limited. The present study proposed humor styles as one of the mechanisms that may help explain the relation between trait emotional intelligence and subjective well-being (indexed by life satisfaction, positive affect, and negative affect). A total of 462 Chinese college students completed paper-and-pencil measures of the Schutte Emotional Intelligence Scale, the Humor Styles Questionnaire, the Satisfaction with Life Scale, and the Positive Affect and Negative Affect Scale. The structural equation modeling analysis revealed that the positive influences of emotional intelligence on life satisfaction and positive affect were partially explained by students’ tendency to use self-enhancing humor. Meanwhile, the negative relation between emotional intelligence and negative affect was partially explained by their tendency to use self-defeating humor. These results suggest that humor styles represent one of the mechanisms linking emotional intelligence and subjective well-being.

Attention monitoring and acceptance underlie the effects of mindfulness meditation. This study tested the feasibility and acceptability of an online mindfulness intervention for pregnant women as an approach to reduce depressive and anxious symptoms. We developed an 8-week mindfulness intervention program that trained participants to monitor their internal and external experiences in an accepting way. The mindfulness course was based on the Wechat platform. This study was conducted in a women's hospital in China. A total of 123 women with scores on the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale and Patient Health Questionnaire suggesting mild or moderate symptoms of depression and anxiety were recruited from the outpatient department between April and June 2018. The participants were randomized to receive the mindfulness intervention or routine prenatal care. The Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale, the Patient Health Questionnaire, and the Five Facets of Mindfulness Questionnaire were used to evaluate the levels of anxiety, depression, and mindfulness, respectively, before and after the intervention. Of the 123 women enrolled in this study, 10 in the intervention group and 11 in the control group did not complete the intervention. The retention rate and feedback suggested that the mindfulness intervention was feasible and acceptable among pregnant women. Participants in the intervention group showed greater declines in depressive and anxious symptoms compared with those in the control group, as well a significant improvement in mindfulness skills (eg, attention monitoring and acceptance). These results suggest that an online mindfulness intervention may be a promising technique to help women use mindfulness skills to reduce depressive and anxious symptoms. The mindfulness intervention could constitute part of the psychological care provided to pregnant women.

Work is a crucial part of human life. One should attain employees’ well-being (WB) to support organisational success. In the first phase, the confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was employed to assess the dimensionality, reliability, and validity of the reflective latent constructs. In the second phase, structural equation modelling was performed to test the research hypotheses. By structural equation modelling we found that physical health (PH) statistically significant negatively affects subjective emotional well-being (SEWB). Positive PH and SEWB were negatively connected. Emotional intelligence (EI) has a statistically significant impact on SEWB. The last relationship in the model—between spiritual intelligence (SI) and self-determination (SD)—was negative, but statistically significant. Therefore, human resource management’s activities (HRM) must concentrate on optimal physical/mental health, emotional (EI) and spiritual (SI) intelligence. Employees’ good health supports their emotional WB. Their emotional balance, based on their EI, enhances their subjective emotional WB and SD. The employees ’SI affects their SD.