Emotional Intelligence and Stress Coping Styles: A Study of Doctors of Private Hospitals in and Around Chandigarh

Abstract

Emotional Intelligence, or EI, describes an ability or capacity to perceive, assess, and manage the emotions of one’s self, and of others.  Goleman describes emotional intelligence as "managing feelings so that they are expressed appropriately and effectively, enabling people to work together smoothly toward their common goals." According to Goleman, the four major skills that make up emotional intelligence are: Self-Awareness, Self-Management, Social Awareness and Relationship Management.  Stress is a fact of life and is inevitable in this competitive world. From individual point of view stress is our body’s physical, chemical and mental reaction to circumstances that frighten, confuse, endanger or irritate us. It can lead to physiological discomfort, some kind of emotional unhappiness, and even strained relationship with others. EI has been linked with various stress coping strategies particularly rational/problem focused coping. The link between EI and stress is also established in the academic literature. Stress Coping strategies refer to the specific efforts, both behavioral and psychological, that people employ to master, tolerate, reduce, or minimize stressful events. Proposed study is an attempt to find out the relationship between emotional intelligence and stress coping styles among doctors of private hospitals in and around Chandigarh.