Emotional competencies as a factor in maintaining the mental health of medical workers

Aim. To study the protective role of emotional competencies (ECs) in maintaining the mental health of medical workers.

Material and methods. The sample consisted of 170 medical workers. Methods for assessing the level of emotional burnout and empathic abilities by V. V. Boyko, emotional intelligence by D. V. Lyusin, the style of behavior self-regulation by V. I. Morosanova, the differential type of reflection by D. A. Leontiev, the neuroticism by K. K. Yakhin, D. M. Mendelevich. The following statistical methods were used: correlation analysis (Pearson r-test), hierarchical factor analysis.

Results. Reliable two-way correlations were determined between a wide range of individual symptoms of emotional burnout and neuroticism, which are manifestations of mental illness, and the characteristics of the emotional intelligence of medical workers. Based on factor analysis of self-regulation parameters, empathy, reflection and emotional intelligence, 4 ECs were identified: intrapersonal areflexive Ego-centered, intrapersonal infantile, regulative, intrapersonal reflexive. We determined that in mentally healthy medical workers, the regulative ECs are most pronounced. Employees with the early stage mental illness simultaneously present intrapersonal ECs that are multidirectional in terms of reflexivity (areflexive Ego-centered and reflexive). Mentally unhealthy medical workers were found to be unformed in all ECs.

Conclusion. The positive relationships identified in the study between regulative mature intrapersonal and interpersonal ECs and a favorable mental health of medical workers suggest the need to develop training programs for ECs as a factor in maintaining the mental health of medical workers.

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