Association Between Emotional Intelligence and Stress Management in Hemodialysis Patients

Background: Emotional intelligence refers to individuals’ ability to recognize and manage their own emotions as well as those of others, playing a crucial role in stress management. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between different dimensions of emotional intelligence and stress management strategies in patients undergoing hemodialysis. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 468 patients on hemodialysis completed the (i) Wong and Law Emotional Scale (WLEIS) and (ii) Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire Short Form (TEIQue-SF) for the assessment of emotional intelligence as an emotional ability or as a personality trait, respectively; (iii) the Brief COPEQuestionnaire (Brief- COPE) for the assessment of stress management strategies; and (iv) a questionnaire about demographic characteristics. Spearman’s correlations coefficients were used to explore associations between two continuous variables. Multiple linear regression analysis was used with Brief-COPE dimensions as the dependent variable. Results: High levels of emotionality were associated with an active approach to coping with stress (p = 0.018), while increased well-being and high regulation of emotions were associated with decreased behavioral disengagement (p < 0.001). Moreover, high emotional appraisal of others was linked to an increased use of humor (p = 0.042), while self-control and use and regulation of emotions were associated with decreased expression of negative feelings (p < 0.001). Conclusions: The current findings suggest potential links between emotional intelligence and stress management strategies in patients undergoing hemodialysis.