The Association of Intrapersonal Trait Emotional Intelligence and Resilience with Suicidal Ideation in University Students.

BACKGROUND: Suicidal ideation is not restricted to psychiatric patients. To the contrary, it is not uncommon in the general population and constitutes a precursor for suicide attempts and completed suicides. While risk factors for suicidality have extensively been described, much less attention has been devoted to the investigation of protective factors. In the current study we investigated two of such potential protective factors in combination, namely trait emotional intelligence (EI) and resilience in a sample of university students. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: We recruited 277 university students without an active physical or mental disorder requiring medical attention via an online questionnaire and assessed lifetime and four-week suicidal ideation. Resilience was measured with the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, EI with the Self-report Emotional Ability Scale and stressful life events with the Social Readjustment Rating Scale. Logistic regression was used to investigate the effect of EI and resilience on lifetime and four-week suicidal ideation. RESULTS: Resilience as well as intrapersonal trait EI factors were significantly lower in individuals who reported lifetime suicidal ideation. The regression analysis revealed the EI facet "Regulation of one's own emotions" and the resilience factor "Control" to be significant predictors of lifetime and/or four-week suicidal ideation. Neither trait EI nor resilience had a moderating effect on the relationship between life events and suicidality. CONCLUSIONS: Low intrapersonal EI and low resilience are associated with lifetime and, in part, four-week suicidal ideation.

Trait emotional intelligence and resilience: gender differences among university students.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have reported strong correlations of emotional intelligence (EI) with mental health and wellbeing; it is also a powerful predictor of social functioning and personal adaption. Resilience is the ability to adapt to significant life stressors and is also crucial for maintaining and restoring physical and mental health. The aim of this study was to investigate EI and resilience in healthy university students, with a focus on gender differences in EI and resilience components. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 277 datasets collected via online questionnaire were analyzed. The questionnaire comprised the Self-Report Emotional Ability Scale (SEAS) developed by Freudenthaler and Neubauer for assessing trait EI facets and the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC). RESULTS: Regarding trait EI, females scored significantly higher in the total score for interpersonal emotional skills and in the subscale "Perception of the emotions of others" than males. Men showed significantly higher total scores in intrapersonal emotion-related abilities than women, and in the subscales "Regulation of one's own emotions" and "Control over the expression of one's own emotions." Concerning resilience, female students had significantly higher scores in the CD-RISC subscales "Personal competence and tenacity," "Control," and "Spiritual influence." The intrapersonal trait EI (SEAS) sum score showed a significant positive correlation with the total scores of the CD-RISC (rs = 0.445, p < 0.001). There were also positive correlations between the interpersonal trait EI sum score and the CD-RISC total score (rs = 0.438, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The results indicate gender differences in specific facets of trait EI and resilience, and an interaction between the two psychological constructs was demonstrated regardless of gender. For prevention of mental disorders and to foster wellbeing, it might be helpful to focus on improvement of self-perception in girls and women, and on supporting emotional awareness towards other people's emotions in boys and men. Further studies in the field should address other populations.