Improved mental health, social support, and time outdoors are associated with higher emotional intelligence in early-career veterinarians: a longitudinal study.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to describe emotional intelligence (EI) and associated factors among veterinarians in Canada during their first 2 years of clinical practice. METHODS: This observational study used an online longitudinal survey to collect data from individuals who graduated from 1 of the 5 Canadian veterinary colleges in 2022 to 2023 during their first 2 years after graduation. The survey included the Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire-Short Form (TEIQue-SF) to measure EI with 4 facets: well-being (overall positive feelings), self-control (emotional self-regulation), emotionality (emotional self-reflection), and sociability (management of others' emotions). Questions were also included to collect data on participants' lifestyles and demographics. Data were analyzed with linear mixed-effect models. RESULTS: Participating veterinarians (n = 208) had marginally lower EI (t1 = 4.93; 95% CI, 4.83 to 5.04) than the general population (5.11; 95% CI, 5.07 to 5.15), specifically in emotionality and sociability. No significant changes in EI (or its facets) occurred during the first 2 years after graduation. The absence of self-reported mental health conditions, higher satisfaction with social support, and more time spent outdoors were significantly positively associated with 1 or more facets of EI. CONCLUSIONS: This study highlighted participating veterinarians' areas of improvement in EI (emotional self-perception and management of others' emotions), which should be fostered through dedicated training. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: As EI is a skill that can be developed and that has myriad benefits, these findings support initiation of EI training, emphasizing self-emotional reflection and management of others' emotions as well as supporting the development of meaningful social connections and enabling access to outdoor activities.