How Can Emotional Intelligence be Useful in Practicing Family Physicians Social Problem-Solving Skills During the Covid-19 Pandemic?

Year 2024, Volume: 8 Issue: 1, 60 - 71, 30.06.2024

Erkan Döner , İbrahim Efe Efeoğlu

https://doi.org/10.38015/sbyy.1436868

Abstract

With the increasing number of family health centers that have emerged due to the rising population in Türkiye, family physicians have had to take on the primary role of helping patients cope with health issues. Since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, the workload of doctors has reached excessive levels, consequently affecting their perceptions, behaviors, and attitudes, all of which are outcomes of emotional intelligence. Research has shown that individuals with a high level of emotional intelligence can readily embrace social problems and generate possible solutions by applying social problem-solving skills. This study explored the relationship between emotional intelligence and social problem-solving skills in family physicians by examining the challenges being faced in maintaining society's health during the pandemic. The correlational research design was preferred by researchers to apply the social problem-solving and emotional intelligence scales to family physicians (N= 229) between November and September 2021. Emotional intelligence had a significant impact on the social problem-solving skills of family physicians (β= .251, p<0.05). On the other side, a significant relationship was found between Optimism\Mood Regulation" and "Impulsive Problem-Solving Style" (r= .246, p<0.01), and "Utilization of Emotions" was shown to have a significant relationship with "Impulsive Problem-Solving Style" (r= .317, p<0.01). Emotional intelligence possesses an increasingly substantial role in dealing with social problems effectively. Family physicians should be aware that emotions are crucial in empowering social problem-solving skills during chaotic & challenging times.

Keywords

Behavior, COVID-19, Emotional Intelligence, Family Physicians, Social Problem-Solving

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