Abstract
Background
Emotional intelligence represents a person’s interpersonal and communication competencies, and influences medical students and their clinical careers. The aim is to evaluate the impact of team-based learning in an emotional intelligence training intervention among Chinese medical students.
Methods
This is a quasi-experimental, one-group pre–post-test assessment. A convenience sample of medical university students took an elective course in emotional management recruited for this study. An emotional management course was designed to provide college students with basic knowledge about emotional regulation and to provide opportunities for emotional management practice. The course composed of traditional face-to-face education and the new style of teamwork. They completed the educational modules using their personal computers or cell phones. Using the Emotional Intelligence Scale, Caring Ability Inventory, and a course evaluation questionnaire, two research assistants collected data before and after delivery of the intervention. Descriptive statistics were calculated for sociodemographic data. Categorical data were described as frequencies, and continuous data were expressed as means. Differences in respondent characteristics between the pre- and post-intervention assessments were investigated using the chi-squared test. The paired-samples t test was used to investigate differences between pre- and post-intervention. Ninety-eight students completed the pre-intervention questionnaire and 82 students completed the post-intervention questionnaire.
Results
The intervention improved students’ emotional intelligence and caring ability, as indicated by increased scores in perceiving and expressing emotions (t = 7.045, P < 0.01), regulating emotions (t = 6.094, P < 0.001), knowing (t = 4.268, P < 0.001), and courage (t = 4.842, P < 0.001). Students' average course evaluation ratings were >4 points (The total score is 5.).
Conclusions
This intervention has the potential to influence medical students’ emotional intelligence and caring behavior.
The impact of an emotional intelligence training program on transformational leadership
