Personality traits and quality of life among Lebanese medical students: any mediating effect of emotional intelligence? A path analysis approach

Abstract Background Medicine is an incredibly demanding career that appears to leave many medical students at risk of fatigue, anxiety, depression and burnout. Since adaptation and lifestyle changes are important, quality of life (QOL) of students during medical school could be impaired. Personality...

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Main Authors: Elise Maalouf, Souheil Hallit, Sahar Obeid
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2022-02-01
Series:BMC Psychology
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-022-00739-2
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author Elise Maalouf
Souheil Hallit
Sahar Obeid
author_facet Elise Maalouf
Souheil Hallit
Sahar Obeid
author_sort Elise Maalouf
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background Medicine is an incredibly demanding career that appears to leave many medical students at risk of fatigue, anxiety, depression and burnout. Since adaptation and lifestyle changes are important, quality of life (QOL) of students during medical school could be impaired. Personality traits and emotional intelligence (EI) facets may be both linked to medical student’s QOL. To our knowledge, no studies have been done on the concurrent and prospective relationship between QOL-related personality traits and EI in Lebanese medical students. This study aimed to investigate the role of EI as a mediator between personality traits and QOL among a sample of Lebanese medical students. Methods This research is a descriptive cross-sectional survey study involving 293 Lebanese medical students recruited from all 7 Faculties of Medicine in Lebanon (June–December 2019). Structural equation modeling (SEM) was performed using SPSS AMOS v.24 to examine the structural relationship between each personality trait taken as independent variables, QOL as the dependent variable, and emotional intelligence as the mediator, among university students. The relative Chi-square (χ2/df), root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) statistic, Tucker Lewis Index (TFI) and the comparative fit index (CFI) were used to evaluate the goodness-of-fit of the model. Results Higher conscientiousness was significantly associated with more EI (Beta = 0.38; p < 0.001) and lower QOL (Beta = − 0.14; p = 0.025). The indirect relationships between conscientiousness, EI and QOL showed that EI mediated the association between conscientiousness and QOL (Beta = 0.17; 95% CI − 0.73 to − 0.004; p = 0.037). The fit indices of this model were adequate for χ2/df, RMSEA and CFI but not TLI. Higher openness to experience was significantly associated with more EI (Beta = 0.48; p < 0.001) and lower QOL (Beta = − 0.38; p < 0.001). The indirect relationships between openness to experience, EI and QOL showed that EI mediated the association between openness to experience and QOL (Beta = 0.30; 95% CI − 1.11 to − 0.03; p = 0.04). The fit indices were adequate for χ2/df and CFI but not RMSEA and TLI. EI did not mediate the association between the other three personality traits (extroversion, agreeableness and neuroticism) and QOL. Conclusion This current research has shed considerable light on the nexus of associations between EI, personality traits and well-being, nonetheless, led to the creation of more puzzling questions. On the whole, it seems that EI and its components can be used as an evaluation instrument in relates with Lebanese medical students’ personality profile as a means of future training to improve quality of life during medical education.
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spelling doaj.art-9fc77234f870431cb494a795782124dc2022-12-21T23:44:54ZengBMCBMC Psychology2050-72832022-02-0110111210.1186/s40359-022-00739-2Personality traits and quality of life among Lebanese medical students: any mediating effect of emotional intelligence? A path analysis approachElise Maalouf0Souheil Hallit1Sahar Obeid2Department of Life and Science, University of Paris-EstFaculty of Medicine and Medical Sciences, Holy Spirit University of Kaslik (USEK)Social and Education Sciences Department, School of Arts and Sciences, Lebanese American UniversityAbstract Background Medicine is an incredibly demanding career that appears to leave many medical students at risk of fatigue, anxiety, depression and burnout. Since adaptation and lifestyle changes are important, quality of life (QOL) of students during medical school could be impaired. Personality traits and emotional intelligence (EI) facets may be both linked to medical student’s QOL. To our knowledge, no studies have been done on the concurrent and prospective relationship between QOL-related personality traits and EI in Lebanese medical students. This study aimed to investigate the role of EI as a mediator between personality traits and QOL among a sample of Lebanese medical students. Methods This research is a descriptive cross-sectional survey study involving 293 Lebanese medical students recruited from all 7 Faculties of Medicine in Lebanon (June–December 2019). Structural equation modeling (SEM) was performed using SPSS AMOS v.24 to examine the structural relationship between each personality trait taken as independent variables, QOL as the dependent variable, and emotional intelligence as the mediator, among university students. The relative Chi-square (χ2/df), root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) statistic, Tucker Lewis Index (TFI) and the comparative fit index (CFI) were used to evaluate the goodness-of-fit of the model. Results Higher conscientiousness was significantly associated with more EI (Beta = 0.38; p < 0.001) and lower QOL (Beta = − 0.14; p = 0.025). The indirect relationships between conscientiousness, EI and QOL showed that EI mediated the association between conscientiousness and QOL (Beta = 0.17; 95% CI − 0.73 to − 0.004; p = 0.037). The fit indices of this model were adequate for χ2/df, RMSEA and CFI but not TLI. Higher openness to experience was significantly associated with more EI (Beta = 0.48; p < 0.001) and lower QOL (Beta = − 0.38; p < 0.001). The indirect relationships between openness to experience, EI and QOL showed that EI mediated the association between openness to experience and QOL (Beta = 0.30; 95% CI − 1.11 to − 0.03; p = 0.04). The fit indices were adequate for χ2/df and CFI but not RMSEA and TLI. EI did not mediate the association between the other three personality traits (extroversion, agreeableness and neuroticism) and QOL. Conclusion This current research has shed considerable light on the nexus of associations between EI, personality traits and well-being, nonetheless, led to the creation of more puzzling questions. On the whole, it seems that EI and its components can be used as an evaluation instrument in relates with Lebanese medical students’ personality profile as a means of future training to improve quality of life during medical education.https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-022-00739-2Personality traitsEmotional intelligenceQuality of lifeMedical students
spellingShingle Elise Maalouf
Souheil Hallit
Sahar Obeid
Personality traits and quality of life among Lebanese medical students: any mediating effect of emotional intelligence? A path analysis approach
BMC Psychology
Personality traits
Emotional intelligence
Quality of life
Medical students
title Personality traits and quality of life among Lebanese medical students: any mediating effect of emotional intelligence? A path analysis approach
title_full Personality traits and quality of life among Lebanese medical students: any mediating effect of emotional intelligence? A path analysis approach
title_fullStr Personality traits and quality of life among Lebanese medical students: any mediating effect of emotional intelligence? A path analysis approach
title_full_unstemmed Personality traits and quality of life among Lebanese medical students: any mediating effect of emotional intelligence? A path analysis approach
title_short Personality traits and quality of life among Lebanese medical students: any mediating effect of emotional intelligence? A path analysis approach
title_sort personality traits and quality of life among lebanese medical students any mediating effect of emotional intelligence a path analysis approach
topic Personality traits
Emotional intelligence
Quality of life
Medical students
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-022-00739-2
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AT saharobeid personalitytraitsandqualityoflifeamonglebanesemedicalstudentsanymediatingeffectofemotionalintelligenceapathanalysisapproach