The emotional intelligence of social care and healthcare applicants – Development and evaluation of the test for student selection

Emotional intelligence (EI) is a set of abilities including the perception, expression and management of emotions. Social care and healthcare students engage in clinical practice in their studies and clinical environments can be emotionally challenging. EI is reported to reduce stress, enhance overall study success and performance in clinical practice. However, the research on social care and healthcare student selection is scarce, thus more research is needed. The purpose of this study was to develop and evaluate an emotional intelligence test (EMI-T) for the social care and healthcare student selection in UASs and assess applicants’ EI and factors related to it. The goal was to enhance social care and healthcare student selection. This three-phased study included theoretical phase, test development phase and evaluation phase. The data collection methods in theoretical phase were systematic literature search (n=26), focus group interviews (n=5) and structured questionnaire for social care and healthcare educators and professionals. In development phase the data were collected with structured questionnaire for three expert panels and EMI-T in pilot studies for first-year social care and healthcare students (first pilot n=346; second pilot n=205). In evaluation phase the data were collected with EMI-T from applicants participating in student selection in Spring 2021 (n=4808). The analysis methods were content analysis, calculation of I-CVI, Item Response Theory (IRT) using graphical analysis with TestGardener software, descriptive measurements, correlations, ANOVA, Tuckey’s test in post-hoc multiple group comparisons and linear regression analysis. According to the results the developed EMI-T proved to be easy but a comprehensive and objective test to assess applicants’ EI. The applicants’ EI was above the centre of the score range and they performed better in management of emotions than other EI abilities. Female gender, older age, higher previous education, parents’ current employment status and if applicant or his/her parents were born in Finland indicated better EI, but these factors explained minorly applicants’ EI variation indicating that fair student selection is possible using the EMI-T. The results can be used for further development of the EMI-T and development of social care and healthcare student selection and education.Sosiaali- ja terveysalan hakijoiden tunneäly – Opiskelijavalintaan tarkoitetun testin kehittäminen ja arviointi Tunneäly muodostuu erilaisista taidoista, kuten kyvystä arvioida, ilmaista ja säädellä tunteita. Sosiaali- ja terveysalan (sote-alan) opiskelu sisältää käytännön harjoittelua ja harjoitteluympäristöt voivat olla emotionaalisesti kuormittavia. Tunneälyn on osoitettu vähentävän stressiä, parantavan opiskelijoiden opintomenestystä ja suoriutumista käytännön harjoittelussa. Tällä hetkellä on vähän tutkimusta siitä, miten valita opiskelijoita sote-alan koulutukseen, joten tutkimusta tarvitaan lisää. Tämän tutkimuksen tarkoituksena oli kehittää tunneälytesti (EMI-T) ammattikorkeakoulujen sote-alan koulutuksen opiskelijavalintaan ja arvioida koulutukseen hakevien tunneälyä. Tavoitteena oli kehittää sote-alan opiskelijavalintaa. Tutkimus koostui 3 vaiheesta: teoreettinen vaihe, kehittämisvaihe ja arviointivaihe. Teoreettisessa vaiheessa aineistonkeruumenetelmät olivat systemaattinen kirjallisuuskatsaus (n=26), fokusryhmähaastattelut (n=5) ja sturkturoitu kyselylomake sote-alan opettajille ja ammattilaisille. Kehittämisvaiheessa aineisto kerättiin kolmelta asiantuntijapaneelilta strukturoidulla kyselylomakkeella ja pilottitutkimuksissa EMI-T:llä ensimmäisen vuoden sote-alan opiskelijoilta (pilotti 1 n=346, pilotti 2 n=205). Arviointivaiheessa aineisto kerättiin EMI-T:llä kevään 2021 sote-alan valintakokeen hakijoilta (n=4808). Tutkimuksen analyysimenetelminä käytettiin sisällön analyysiä, tehtäväkohtaista luotettavuusindeksiä, osiovasteanalyysiä käyttäen TestGardener ohjelmaa, kuvailevia menetelmiä, varianssianalyysiä, Tukey:n testiä ja lineaarista regressioanalyysiä. Tutkimuksessa kehitetty EMI-T osoittautui helpoksi, mutta objektiiviseksi ja kattavaksi testiksi arvioida sote-alan hakijoita. Hakijat menestyivät tunneälytestissä hyvin, mutta suoriutuivat tunteiden hallinnan osiossa parhaiten. Parempaa tunneälyä selittivät naissukupuoli, korkeampi ikä, aiempi koulutus ja vanhempien työssäolo sekä Suomi hakijan ja tämän vanhempien synnyinpaikkana. Nämä tekijät selittivät hakijoiden tunneälyä kuitenkin vain vähän, joten EMI-T:n käyttö opiskelijavalinnassa näyttäisi mahdollistavan oikeudenmukaisen valinnan. Tuloksia voidaan hyödyntää EMI-T:n jatkokehittämisessä sekä sote-alan opiskelijavalintojen ja koulutuksen kehittämisessä

The assessment of emotional intelligence in social care and healthcare student selection: a qualitative descriptive study

Background: Effective student selection methods are needed to identify applicants who are expected to complete their studies and succeed professionally. The assessment of emotional intelligence has recently been identified as an important element of student selection for nursing studies. Purpose: This small-scale study, conducted in Finland, sought to capture the content of emotional intelligence that is considered relevant to social care and healthcare student selection from the perspectives of social care and healthcare educators and professionals. Methods: Five semi-structured focus group interviews (n = 30) were conducted with the educators and professionals. The data were analysed qualitatively using both deductive and inductive content analyses. Findings: The analysis of the data identified participants' perspectives on: perception of emotions, understanding emotions, accepting emotions, emotional management, emotional expression, utilising emotions and emotional awareness in social contexts. The participating educators and professionals indicated that applicants should demonstrate basic abilities across all these aspects of emotional intelligence in order to cope with the demands of social care and healthcare studies. Conclusions: Findings support the notion of the comprehensive assessment of emotional intelligence in student selection contexts. By ascertaining whether students have adequate basic emotional intelligence abilities, the risk of emotional exhaustion during clinical practice could be reduced; higher education institutions may better be able to select applicants who are likely to complete their studies and who are willing and able to work as social care and healthcare professionals.</p

Development and psychometric evaluation of the Emotional Intelligence Test (EMI-T) for social care and healthcare student selection

Aim: To develop an emotional intelligence (EI) test and evaluate its psychometrics for social and healthcare student selection. Design: A cross-sectional methodological design. Methods: The test was developed based on a systematic review and focus group interviews. Content validity was evaluated with expert panels, and preliminary psychometrics with two pilot studies. Descriptive statistics, correlations and item response theory were used. Data Sources: Search was conducted in six databases 2018. Focus group interviews were conducted with educators and professionals in 2019. Expert panels with doctoral students, researchers and educators were conducted in 2020. Pilot tests with students were conducted 2020–2021. The developed test was administered to 4808 applicants 2021. Results: The test included four subscales. Correlations support the test's theoretical structure. The items were mainly easy. Conclusion: The test assesses EI objectively and comprehensively. The item-level distractor analysis can be used for further test development. Impacts: Social care and healthcare students engage in clinical practice early in their studies, and these environments can be emotionally challenging. Assessing EI in student selection with adequate test can help the institutions of higher education to select the students with required abilities to succeed in the studies. The assessment of EI during student selection also provides information higher education institutions could use to develop and provide support interventions. The results may also encourage practice placements to include EI elements as learning objective. The results of this study and especially the use of IRT and detailed distractor analysis to evaluate the psychometric properties of EMI-T can benefit researchers and educators that develop or evaluate objective assessment tools with multiple choice questions. Implications for the profession and/or patient care: Emotional intelligence is important for students to enable professional interaction.publishedVersionPeer reviewe

Emotional Intelligence Instruments Used in Health Care Education

Background: This article aims to describe the content and the psychometric properties of emotional intelligence instruments used in health care education and to examine the relationship between emotional intelligence and study success. Method: Six electronic databases were searched in spring 2020. Two researchers participated in the selection and quality assessment of the articles. Ultimately, 26 articles were included in the review. Results: From the included articles, 18 emotional intelligence instruments were identified. The content of the instruments focused on perception of emotions, understanding of emotions, emotional expression, managing emotions, using emotions, and social awareness and relations. In most of the studies, emotional intelligence was related to study success. Conclusion:The assessment of several important components of emotional intelligence was identified. Comprehensive assessment using the emotional intelligence total score seemed to be the best predictor of study success.</p

Emotional Intelligence Instruments Used in Health Care Education

Background: This article aims to describe the content and the psychometric properties of emotional intelligence instruments used in health care education and to examine the relationship between emotional intelligence and study success. Method: Six electronic databases were searched in spring 2020. Two researchers participated in the selection and quality assessment of the articles. Ultimately, 26 articles were included in the review. Results: From the included articles, 18 emotional intelligence instruments were identified. The content of the instruments focused on perception of emotions, understanding of emotions, emotional expression, managing emotions, using emotions, and social awareness and relations. In most of the studies, emotional intelligence was related to study success. Conclusion:The assessment of several important components of emotional intelligence was identified. Comprehensive assessment using the emotional intelligence total score seemed to be the best predictor of study success.</p