Association between emotional intelligence and decision-making styles in individuals with substance use disorders

Background and Objective A better understanding of the relationship between emotional intelligence and decision-making are important for professionals to prevent relapse behaviors in individuals with substance use disorders. The present study is aimed to conduct to examine the relationship between emotional intelligence and decision-making styles of individuals with substance use disorders.Methods This cross-sectional and correlational study was conducted between November 2022 and May 2023 with 122 patients after ethical approval. Descriptive information form, Bar-On Emotional Intelligence Scale (Bar-On EQ), Melbourne Decision Making Scale I-II (MDMQ) were used in the study. Descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation analysis and linear regression analysis were used to determine the relationship.Results The study population consisted of 91% males and the mean age was 34.28 ± 11.48 years. It was determined that 51.6% of the individuals had a history of alcohol use, 35.2% had a history of cannabinoid use, and 24.6% had a history of methamphetamine use. A statistically significant relationship was identified between the total mean scores of the BarOn EQ and subscale mean scores of MDMQ (p < 0.000).Conclusion There is a correlation between an individual’s emotional intelligence and their decision-making style, particularly in the context of substance use disorder. Future implications are discussed.