Association between emotional intelligence and mental health of clinical tutors in health sciences.

Authors

  • Ludmila Varas - Yupátova Department of Applied Strategies in Health Sciences Training, Universidad de Playa Ancha, Chile https://orcid.org/0009-0007-8299-0165
  • Antonio López - Fuenzalida Exercise and Rehabilitation Science Institute, School of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Rehabilitation Science, Universidad Andrés Bello, Santiago, Chile https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4339-337X
  • Pamela Báez Amaya School of Nursing, Faculty of Medicine, University of Valparaíso, Viña del Mar, Chile https://orcid.org/0009-0000-9790-8397
  • Eduardo Báez - SanMartín Faculty of Life Sciences, Sports Coaching Program, Viña del Mar University, Viña del Mar, Chile https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3881-1015
  • María Patricia González Vega Department of Applied Strategies in Health Sciences Training, Playa Ancha University, Valparaíso, Chile https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0488-1330
DOI: https://doi.org/10.6018/edumed.681311
Keywords: Emocional Intelligence, Mental Health, Clinical teaching, Health sciences education, Professional Practice

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to analyse the level of emotional intelligence—specifically in the dimensions of emotional attention, clarity, and repair—and its association with mental health among clinical educators in health-related university programs. Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted using validated self-report instruments (TMMS-24 and GHQ-30) with clinical educators from health sciences programs. Participants' mental health and emotional intelligence levels were assessed and compared according to their work context (public vs. private). Results: The findings revealed high performance in the dimensions of emotional clarity (68.5%) and emotional repair (73.98%), and low performance in emotional attention (43.47%). Most participants (84.83%) showed high levels of emotional well-being, with better GHQ outcomes in the private sector (90%) compared to the public sector (81.39%). However, self-perceived mental health was higher in the public sector (76.67%) than in the private sector (58.14%), indicating a divergence between subjective perception and GHQ results. Statistically significant associations were found between GHQ scores and self-perceived mental health (r = .33; p < .01), and between GHQ scores and emotional repair (r = .26; p = .02). Conclusion: Emotional intelligence, particularly the ability to repair emotional states, appears to play a protective role in the mental health of clinical educators. The low scores in emotional attention underscore the need for institutional strategies to strengthen this competence. These findings highlight the importance of addressing both emotional and mental health aspects in educators who contribute to the clinical training of future health professionals.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Metrics

Metrics Loading ...
Metrics
Views/Downloads
  • Abstract
    98
  • pdf (Español (España))
    80
  • pdf
    80

Author Biographies

Ludmila Varas - Yupátova, Department of Applied Strategies in Health Sciences Training, Universidad de Playa Ancha, Chile

Occupational Therapist, BSc in Human Occupation, Master's Degree in Educational Management, Doctor in Public Health

Antonio López - Fuenzalida, Exercise and Rehabilitation Science Institute, School of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Rehabilitation Science, Universidad Andrés Bello, Santiago, Chile

Phisiotherapist, BSc of Kinesiology, Computer Engineer, BSc of Engineering Sciences, MSc in Medicine and Sports Sciences, PhD from University of Córdoba.

Pamela Báez Amaya, School of Nursing, Faculty of Medicine, University of Valparaíso, Viña del Mar, Chile

Nurse, BSc. in Nursing and Midwifery, Master's Degree in Nursing.

Eduardo Báez - SanMartín, Faculty of Life Sciences, Sports Coaching Program, Viña del Mar University, Viña del Mar, Chile

Sports and Recreation Technologist, BSc of Physical Activity Sciences, MSc of Medicine and Sports Sciences.

María Patricia González Vega, Department of Applied Strategies in Health Sciences Training, Playa Ancha University, Valparaíso, Chile

Nurse, BSc of Nursing, Doctor of Education.

References

World Health Organization. Health systems resilience toolkit: a WHO global public health good to support building and strengthening of sustainable health systems resilience in countries with various contexts. Geneva. 2022, ISBN: 9789240048751. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240048751

Debie A, Nigusie A, Gedle D, Khatri RB, Assefa Y. Building a resilient health system for universal health coverage and health security: a systematic review. Glob Health Res Policy. 2024, 9, 2. https://doi.org/10.1186/s41256-023-00340-z

World Health Organization. Health systems for health security: a framework for developing capacities for international health regulations and components in health systems and other sectors that work in synergy to meet the demands imposed by health emergencies. Geneva: World Health Organization. 2021, ISBN: 45. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240029682

Lal A, Erondu NA, Heymann DL, Gitahi G, Yates R. Fragmented health systems in COVID-19: rectifying the misalignment between global health security and universal health coverage. Lancet. 2021, 397(10268), 61. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(20)32228-5

Mosadeghrad AM, Afshari M, Isfahani P, Ezzati F, Abbasi M, Farahani SA, et al. Strategies to strengthen the resilience of primary health care in the COVID-19 pandemic: a scoping review. BMC Health Serv Res. 2024, 24(841). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-024-11278-4

O’Ryan M. Educación en salud: un camino con avances sustantivos y desafíos permanentes. Rev Educ Cienc Salud. 2023, 20(1), 5. https://doi.org/10.30554/archmed.20.2.3487.2020

Rodríguez AV, Torres JY, Arriaga SL. La función pedagógica del médico docente en la formación de los estudiantes de medicina para la atención de emergencias obstétricas. Rev InveCom. 2025, 5(1), e501007. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.10892470

Durán‑Pérez VD, Gutiérrez‑Barreto SE. El aprendizaje activo y el desarrollo de habilidades cognitivas en la formación de los profesionales de la salud. FEM Rev Fund Educ Med. 2021, 24(6), 283. https://dx.doi.org/10.33588/fem.246.1153.

Lopez-Balboa L, Carballoso-Acosta MR, Urra-Cabrera M, Rodríguez-Banderas Y, Bachiller-Morejón M del C. El desarrollo de habilidades investigativas en la formación de los profesionales de la salud. Panorama. Cuba y Salud. 2015, 10(3), 3. https://revpanorama.sld.cu/index.php/panorama/article/view/514

Rubio JML, Anzano SM, Sánchez FJC, Rodríguez FG, editors. Entrenamiento en habilidades sociales para los profesionales de la salud. Psicología de la salud: asesoramiento al personal sanitario. Sevilla. Secretariado de Recursos Audiovisuales y Nuevas Tecnologías. 1998, ISBN: 84-89673-46-2. https://hdl.handle.net/11441/72176

Rojas Izquierdo María Miladis, González Escalona Marbel Elvira. Las habilidades comunicativas en el proceso formativo del profesional de la salud. Educ Med Super. 2018, 32(3), 236. http://scielo.sld.cu/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0864-21412018000300020&lng=es.

Leal-Costa C., Díaz-Agea J.L., Tirado-González S., Rodríguez-Marín J., van-der Hofstadt C.J.. Las habilidades de comunicación como factor preventivo del síndrome de Burnout en los profesionales de la salud. Anales Sis San Navarra. 2015, 38(2), 213. https://dx.doi.org/10.4321/S1137-66272015000200005

Rojas Chacaltana Sergio Arturo, Etchart-Puza Jimena Angelica, Cardenas-Zedano William Jesús, Herencia-Escalante Victor Hugo. Competencias socioemocionales en la educación superior. Universidad, Ciencia y Tecnología. 2023, 27(119), 72. https://doi.org/10.47460/uct.v27i119.708

García Cabrero B. Las habilidades socioemocionales, no cognitivas o “blandas”: aproximaciones a su evaluación. Revista Digital Universitaria (RDU). 2018, 19(6), 1. http://doi.org/10.22201/codeic.16076079e.2018.v19n6.a5

Ríos JNÁ, Martínez OFE. Simulación clínica y la modelización didáctica en ciencias para la salud. Educ Med. 2024, 25(4), 1. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.edumed.2024.100922

Hidalgo Jurado SA, Jenaro Río C, Moro Gutiérrez L. Inteligencia emocional como factor protector del burnout y sus consecuencias en personal sanitario ecuatoriano. European J Health Res. 2023, 8(1), 1. https://doi.org/10.32457/ejhr.v8i1.2050

Mestré JM, Guil R, Brackett M. Inteligencia emocional: definición, evaluación y aplicaciones desde el modelo de habilidades de Mayer y Salovey. Motivación y Emoción. 2008, 6(16), 407. https://extension.uned.es/archivos_publicos/webex_actividades/5413/inteligenciaemocionaldefinicionevaluacionyaplicaciones.pdf

Álvarez Vidal ME, Mendoza Yépez YA, Macias Collahuazo EX, Arellano Cepeda OE. Las habilidades blandas y su rol en el rendimiento laboral de los profesionales de la salud. Rev Cubana Reumatol. 2023, 25(4), e1261. https://revreumatologia.sld.cu/index.php/reumatologia/article/view/1261

Calistro Ramos LN. Empatía e inteligencia emocional como factores protectores de salud mental en estudiantes de Ciencias Sociales y Turismo de la Universidad Nacional J.F.S.C 2022 II [tesis]. Huacho (PE): Universidad Nacional José Faustino Sánchez Carrión; 2024. https://doi.org/10.70833/rseisa16item303

Augusto‑Landa JM, Berrios‑Martos MP, López‑Zafra E, Aguilar‑Luzón MC. Relación entre burnout e inteligencia emocional y su impacto en salud mental, bienestar y satisfacción laboral en profesionales de enfermería. Ansiedad y Estrés. 2006, 12(2-3), 479. https://www.ansiedadyestres.es/sites/default/files/rev/ucm/2006/anyes2006a37.pdf

Torres Vargas Eldalaine, Fretel Quiroz Nicolás Magno, Coral Cevillano Miguel, Ramírez Chumbe Isabel. Inteligencia emocional y desempeño laboral de los profesionales de la salud de un hosp. Vive Rev Salud. 2021, 4(10), 64. https://doi.org/10.33996/revistavive.v4i10.76

Fernández-Martínez, E., López-Alonso, A. I., Marques-Sánchez, P., Martínez-Fernández, M. C., Sánchez-Valdeón, L., & Liébana-Presa, C. Emotional intelligence, sense of coherence, engagement and coping: A cross-sectional study of university students’ health. Sustainability. 2019, 11(24), 6953. https://doi.org/10.3390/su11246953

Valenzuela‑Zambrano B, Álvarez Fabio M, Salgado Neira E. Estudio sobre la inteligencia emocional de profesores/as de la provincia de Concepción, Chile. Rev Estud Exp Educ. 2021, 20(43), 29. http://dx.doi.org/10.21703/0718-5162.v20.n43.2021.002

Rincón RA, Rodríguez ÁPA. Validez y confiabilidad de la escala rasgo de metaconocimiento emocional (TMMS‑24) en profesores universitarios. Revista Lebret. 2019, 10, 61. https://doi.org/10.15332/rl.v0i10.2197

Goldberg DP, Gater R, Sartorius N, Ustun TB, Piccinelli M, Gureje O, Rutter C. The validity of two versions of the GHQ in the WHO study of mental illness in general health care. Psychol Med. 1997, 27(1), 191. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0033291796004242

Goldberg DP, Williams P. General Health Questionnaire. Windsor (UK): NFER-Nelson. 1988, ISBN: 0700511822,9780700511822.

Barreto-Quiche Jorge Gustavo, Arévalo-Ipanaqué Janet Mercedes. Salud mental en enfermeros de áreas Covid-19: entre la resiliencia y los estresores laborales. Index Enferm. 2023, 32(4), e14505. https://dx.doi.org/10.58807/indexenferm20236290

Gámez-Pérez Marina, del Campo-Balsa Mª Teresa, Mahillo-Fernández Ignacio. Valoración de la salud mental en profesionales médicos que ejercieron su actividad durante la crisis sanitaria de Covid-19. Rev Asoc Esp Espec Med Trab. 2023, 32(1), 34. http://scielo.isciii.es/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S3020-11602023000100004&lng=es

Noroña Salcedo Darwin Raúl, Vega Falcón Vladimir. Autopercepción de la salud laboral en docentes del Instituto Superior Tecnológico Sucre. Rev Asoc Esp Espec Med Trab. 2022, 31(1), 79.

http://scielo.isciii.es/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S3020-11602022000100009&lng=es

Roa‑Cárdenas FL, González‑Puebla FJ. Revisión de investigaciones sobre riesgo psicosocial en docentes universitarios. Rev Colomb Educ. 2022, 86, 193. https://doi.org/10.17227/rce.num86-12511

Trucco B Marcelo, Valenzuela A Paulina, Trucco H Daniela. Estrés ocupacional en personal de salud. Rev méd Chile. 1999, 127(12), 1453. http://dx.doi.org/10.4067/S0034-98871999001200006

Araya R, Wynn R, Lewis G. Comparison of two self administered psychiatric questionnaires (GHQ-12 and SRQ-20) in primary care in Chile. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol. 1992, 27, 168. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00789001

Garmendia ML. Análisis factorial: una aplicación en el cuestionario de salud general de Goldberg, versión de 12 preguntas. Rev chil salud pública. 2007, 11(2), 57. https://revistasaludpublica.uchile.cl/index.php/RCSP/article/view/3095

Manzini JL. Declaración de Helsinki: principios éticos para la investigación médica sobre sujetos humanos. Acta Bioeth. 2000, 6(2), 321. http://dx.doi.org/10.4067/S1726-569X2000000200010

Magaña-Salazar MY, Méndez de Robles SJM, Martínez Díaz SM. Estrés laboral y salud mental del personal de primera línea en la atención de la COVID‑19. Alerta Rev Cient Inst Nac Salud. 2023, 6(1), 25. https://doi.org/10.5377/alerta.v6i1.15445

Roshani D, Saboni K, Amjadian M. The anxiety associated with COVID-19, general health, spiritual health, and job satisfaction in healthcare providers: a cross-sectional study. BMC Psychol. 2023, 11(1), 240. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-023-01283-3

Ordoñez-Rufat P, Polit-Martínez MV, Martínez-Estalella G, Videla-Ces S. Inteligencia emocional de las enfermeras de cuidados intensivos en un hospital terciario. Enferm Intensiva. 2021, 32(3), 125. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enfie.2020.05.001

Fernández AJM, Gutiérrez-Castañeda C, González FJC, Vílchez DC. Relación de la inteligencia emocional y la calidad de vida profesional con la consecución de objetivos laborales en el distrito de atención primaria Costa del Sol. Aten Primaria. 2016, 48(5), 301. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aprim.2015.06.007

Mata Peón E, García Mañana M, Gracia Corbato MT, Avanzas Fernández S. Inteligencia emocional en el personal de Enfermería. Metas Enferm. 2017, 20(6), 9. https://dialnet.unirioja.es/servlet/articulo?codigo=6040649

Muñoz Díaz J, Sánchez Urgiles G, Polo Ureña A, Rodríguez Tello D. La inteligencia emocional y el estrés laboral en docentes universitarios. Polo Conoc. 2024, 9(3), 1639. https://doi.org/10.23857/pc.v9i3.6734

Botey M, Vaquero-Diego M, Sastre F. Perceived emotional intelligence of university professors based on the nature of the subject taught. Technological Forecasting and Social Change. 2020, 161, 120292. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techfore.2020.120292

Fernández SP, Losada MEM, Suárez MCA, Curto MVC, Martín JP. Inteligencia emocional y síndrome de Burnout en docentes de enfermería de Universidad de Vigo 2020. DELOS: Desarrollo Local Sostenible. 2021, 52 (Especial noviembre 2021). https://doi.org/10.51896/delos/moky1668

Horne, M. J., Allbright, M., D'Nea, A. G., & Patel, A. (2024). Emotional Intelligence in Medicine: An Investigation of the Significance for Physicians, Residents, and Medical Students–A Systematic Review. Journal of Surgical Education. 2024, 81(12), 103307. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsurg.2024.103307

Zúñiga D, Echeverría G, Nitsche P, Pedrals N, Rigotti A, Sirhan M, et al. Cuidando al profesorado: resultados de un programa a distancia de autocuidado para educadores de profesiones de la salud. Educ Med. 2024, 25, 100871. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.edumed.2023.100871

Velásquez Cedeño, M. C., Reyes Reyes, E. Y., Bravo Guerrero, R. I., & Mera Chancay, M. T. La inteligencia emocional: Habilidad blanda indispensable para el personal de salud. Revisión sistemática. Salud & Amp; Ciencias Medicas. 2024, 3(5), 94. https://doi.org/10.56124/saludcm.v3i5.011

Zhang, Q. Chinese college teachers' emotional intelligence and mental health: a chain mediation model involving student relationship quality. Frontiers in Psychology. 2025, 16, 1572070. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1572070

Mansilla Sepúlveda Juan, Ricouz Moya Alejandra. Vivencia Del Rol Docente Clínico de Enfermeras de hospitales del Sur De Chile. Cienc. enferm. 2016, 22(1), 101. http://dx.doi.org/10.4067/S0717-95532016000100009

Illesca Pretty Mónica, Cabezas González Mirtha, Nuin Orrio Carmen, Jürschik Jiménez Pilar. Competencias del docente clínico enfermera/o, Universidades LLeida (España) y La Frontera(Chile): Percepción del Estudiante. Cienc. enferm. 2010, 16(2), 99. http://dx.doi.org/10.4067/S0717-95532010000200010

Ilaja B, Reyes C. Burnout y estrategias de inteligencia emocional en profesores universitarios: implicaciones en la salud laboral educativa. Psicología desde el Caribe. 2016, 33(1), 31. http://dx.doi.org/10.14482/psdc.33.1.8081

Published
24-10-2025
How to Cite
Varas - Yupátova, L., López - Fuenzalida, A., Báez Amaya, P., Báez - SanMartín, E., & González Vega, M. P. (2025). Association between emotional intelligence and mental health of clinical tutors in health sciences. Spanish Journal of Medical Education, 6(5). https://doi.org/10.6018/edumed.681311

Similar Articles

You may also start an advanced similarity search for this article.