Effect of a Structured Emotional Intelligence Skills Training Program on Professional Competence Among Psychiatric Nurses: A Quasi-Experimental Study

Abstract

Background: Emotional intelligence (EI) is relevant to psychiatric nursing because effective care requires emotional awareness, self-regulation, empathy, communication, and therapeutic relationship skills.

Objective: To assess the effect of a structured emotional intelligence skills training program (EISTP) on EI and professional competence among psychiatric nurses.

Methods: A quasi-experimental one-group pretest-posttest study was conducted at El Mamouraa Mental Health Hospital, Alexandria, Egypt, from July to November 2023. Forty psychiatric nurses working in inpatient departments participated. EI was assessed using the Arabic version of the Assessing Emotions Scale (AES-33), while professional competence was assessed using a 37-item psychiatric nurses' competency checklist. The 10-week EISTP incorporated workshops, role-playing, case discussions, group reflection, and self-assessment activities.

Results: Mean EI scores increased across all reported dimensions after training, with the total EI score increasing from 68.75 ± 10.61 before training to 146.69 ± 9.89 after training. The total professional competence score increased from 18.22 ± 10.97 to 46.45 ± 11.31. The source manuscript reports a positive correlation between total EI and total competence (r = 0.444, p = 0.001). Post-training competence was also reported to be associated with educational level (p = 0.002).

Conclusion: The findings support the potential value of structured EI training as part of continuing professional development for psychiatric nurses. Larger controlled studies with longer follow-up are needed to confirm the durability and generalizability of these findings.