The effect of emotional intelligence on anger management among anesthesiologists, surgeons and internal medicine physicians

Objective: Anger management among health professionals can lead to chaos in the hospital or operating room if administered poorly. Aim of the study is to investigate the effect of emotional intelligence level on anger control in physicians. Material and Methods: Emotional intelligence (Reuven Bar-On) and anger control questionnaire (Spielberger) were performed on the voluntary physicians. Results: The 188 voluntary physicians (internal medicine physicians n= 67, surgeons n= 64, anesthesiologists n= 57) were included in the study. Emotional intelligence and continuous anger scales did not differ between the three groups whereas the scores of external anger in surgeons and internal anger (repressed anger) in anesthesiologists were higher. Stress endurance in the surgical group, problem-solving and empathy in anesthesiologists and social responsibility in the internal physicians group were prominent. A positive correlation was observed between emotional intelligence and age, hobbies, physical activity and anger control, while there was negative correlation with external anger scores. Total group was divided into two groups in terms of age. In the group over 35 years old, the scores of continuous anger and external anger were lower, whereas the emotional intelligence was higher. Conclusion: We conclude that emotional intelligence is effective in anger management. Higher age, more occupational experience, being more activities and having hobbies may be associated with better emotional intelligence and anger management in anesthesiologists and surgeons under stress in the operating room and internal physicians as well.