The Perplexing Role of Emotional Intelligence in Driving; Anger and Violence in Medical Students

Abstract

Emotionally intelligent medical students have an awareness about how to respond in a particular situation, they considered the pros and cons before giving response whereas the medical students who are low on the scale of emotional intelligence may react in an absurd way such as being anger and violent. Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the interplay between emotional intelligence (EQ), anger, and violent behavior among medical students. Specifically, it sought to analyze the association between emotional intelligence levels and the expression of anger and violence, as well as to compare emotional intelligence and aggression tendencies between male and female students. Methods: A correlational research design was employed, utilizing online surveys as the data collection method. A total of 200 medical students aged between 19 to 30 years participated in the study. Emotional intelligence, anger expression, and violent behavior were measured using standardized scales. Statistical analyses including descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and independent sample t-tests were conducted using SPSS 23.0 software. Results: The findings revealed a significant negative correlation between emotional intelligence and both anger expression and violent behavior. Male students exhibited higher levels of anger and violent behavior compared to female students. Emotional intelligence scores were lower in male students, indicating a potential contributing factor to their heightened aggression tendencies. Conclusion: The study provides empirical evidence supporting the association between emotional intelligence, anger, and violence in medical students. Lower emotional intelligence levels were linked to increased anger expression and violent behavior. These findings underscore the importance of integrating emotional intelligence education programs into medical curricula to mitigate aggression tendencies and promote healthier interpersonal relationships among students.