The roles of emotional intelligence, neuroticism, and academic stress on the relationship between psychological distress and burnout in medical students
Abstract Background Stress and burnout commonly threaten the mental health of medical students in Malaysia and elsewhere. This study aimed to explore the interrelations of psychological distress, emotional intelligence, personality traits, academic stress, and burnout among medical students. Methods...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2021-05-01
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| Series: | BMC Medical Education |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-021-02733-5 |
| _version_ | 1818597452617351168 |
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| author | Muhamad Saiful Bahri Yusoff Siti Nurma Hanim Hadie Mohd Azhar Mohd Yasin |
| author_facet | Muhamad Saiful Bahri Yusoff Siti Nurma Hanim Hadie Mohd Azhar Mohd Yasin |
| author_sort | Muhamad Saiful Bahri Yusoff |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Stress and burnout commonly threaten the mental health of medical students in Malaysia and elsewhere. This study aimed to explore the interrelations of psychological distress, emotional intelligence, personality traits, academic stress, and burnout among medical students. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted with 241 medical students. Validated questionnaires were administered to measure burnout, psychological distress, emotional intelligence, personality traits, and academic stress, respectively. A structural equation modelling analysis was performed by AMOS. Results The results suggested a structural model with good fit indices, in which psychological distress and academic stress were noted to have direct and indirect effects on burnout. The burnout levels significantly increased with the rise of psychological distress and academic stress. Neuroticism was only found to have significant indirect effects on burnout, whereby burnout increased when neuroticism increased. Emotional intelligence had a significant direct effect on lowering burnout with the incremental increase of emotional intelligence, but it was significantly reduced by psychological distress and neuroticism. Conclusion This study showed significant effects that psychological distress, emotional intelligence, academic stress, and neuroticism have on burnout. Academic stress and neuroticism significantly increased psychological distress, leading to an increased burnout level, while emotional intelligence had a significant direct effect on reducing burnout; however, this relationship was compromised by psychological distress and neuroticism, leading to increased burnout. Several practical recommendations for medical educators, medical students, and medical schools are discussed. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-16T11:48:02Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-7ce6e17c71ec46cea3af30e7dd790bc3 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1472-6920 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-16T11:48:02Z |
| publishDate | 2021-05-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Medical Education |
| spelling | doaj.art-7ce6e17c71ec46cea3af30e7dd790bc32022-12-21T22:32:47ZengBMCBMC Medical Education1472-69202021-05-0121111010.1186/s12909-021-02733-5The roles of emotional intelligence, neuroticism, and academic stress on the relationship between psychological distress and burnout in medical studentsMuhamad Saiful Bahri Yusoff0Siti Nurma Hanim Hadie1Mohd Azhar Mohd Yasin2Department of Medical Education, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains MalaysiaDepartment of Anatomy, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains MalaysiaDeparment of Psychiatry, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains MalaysiaAbstract Background Stress and burnout commonly threaten the mental health of medical students in Malaysia and elsewhere. This study aimed to explore the interrelations of psychological distress, emotional intelligence, personality traits, academic stress, and burnout among medical students. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted with 241 medical students. Validated questionnaires were administered to measure burnout, psychological distress, emotional intelligence, personality traits, and academic stress, respectively. A structural equation modelling analysis was performed by AMOS. Results The results suggested a structural model with good fit indices, in which psychological distress and academic stress were noted to have direct and indirect effects on burnout. The burnout levels significantly increased with the rise of psychological distress and academic stress. Neuroticism was only found to have significant indirect effects on burnout, whereby burnout increased when neuroticism increased. Emotional intelligence had a significant direct effect on lowering burnout with the incremental increase of emotional intelligence, but it was significantly reduced by psychological distress and neuroticism. Conclusion This study showed significant effects that psychological distress, emotional intelligence, academic stress, and neuroticism have on burnout. Academic stress and neuroticism significantly increased psychological distress, leading to an increased burnout level, while emotional intelligence had a significant direct effect on reducing burnout; however, this relationship was compromised by psychological distress and neuroticism, leading to increased burnout. Several practical recommendations for medical educators, medical students, and medical schools are discussed.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-021-02733-5BurnoutPsychological distressEmotional intelligenceNeuroticismAcademic stress |
| spellingShingle | Muhamad Saiful Bahri Yusoff Siti Nurma Hanim Hadie Mohd Azhar Mohd Yasin The roles of emotional intelligence, neuroticism, and academic stress on the relationship between psychological distress and burnout in medical students BMC Medical Education Burnout Psychological distress Emotional intelligence Neuroticism Academic stress |
| title | The roles of emotional intelligence, neuroticism, and academic stress on the relationship between psychological distress and burnout in medical students |
| title_full | The roles of emotional intelligence, neuroticism, and academic stress on the relationship between psychological distress and burnout in medical students |
| title_fullStr | The roles of emotional intelligence, neuroticism, and academic stress on the relationship between psychological distress and burnout in medical students |
| title_full_unstemmed | The roles of emotional intelligence, neuroticism, and academic stress on the relationship between psychological distress and burnout in medical students |
| title_short | The roles of emotional intelligence, neuroticism, and academic stress on the relationship between psychological distress and burnout in medical students |
| title_sort | roles of emotional intelligence neuroticism and academic stress on the relationship between psychological distress and burnout in medical students |
| topic | Burnout Psychological distress Emotional intelligence Neuroticism Academic stress |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-021-02733-5 |
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