Radwan El Othman1, Rola El Othman2, Rabih Hallit1,3,4, Sahar Obeid5,6,7, Souheil Hallit8,9,10. 1. Faculty of Medicine and Medical Sciences, Holy Spirit University of Kaslik (USEK), Jounieh, Lebanon. 2. Department of Pediatrics, Bahman Hospital, Beirut, Lebanon. 3. Department of Infectious Disease, Bellevue Medical Center, Mansourieh, Lebanon. 4. Department of Infectious Disease, Notre Dame des Secours University Hospital Center, Byblos, Lebanon. 5. Research and Psychology departments, Psychiatric Hospital of the Cross, P.O. Box 60096, Jal Eddib, Lebanon. saharobeid23@hotmail.com. 6. Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Holy Spirit University of Kaslik (USEK), Jounieh, Lebanon. saharobeid23@hotmail.com. 7. INSPECT-LB: Institut National de Santé Publique, Epidémiologie Clinique et Toxicologie - Liban, Beirut, Lebanon. saharobeid23@hotmail.com. 8. Faculty of Medicine and Medical Sciences, Holy Spirit University of Kaslik (USEK), Jounieh, Lebanon. souheilhallit@hotmail.com. 9. Research and Psychology departments, Psychiatric Hospital of the Cross, P.O. Box 60096, Jal Eddib, Lebanon. souheilhallit@hotmail.com. 10. INSPECT-LB: Institut National de Santé Publique, Epidémiologie Clinique et Toxicologie - Liban, Beirut, Lebanon. souheilhallit@hotmail.com.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: This study aims to assess the impact of personality traits on emotional intelligence (EI) and decision-making among medical students in Lebanese Universities and to evaluate the potential mediating role-played by emotional intelligence between personality traits and decision-making styles in this population. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted between June and December 2019 on 296 general medicine students. RESULTS: Higher extroversion was associated with lower rational decision-making style, whereas higher agreeableness and conscientiousness were significantly associated with a higher rational decision-making style. More extroversion and openness to experience were significantly associated with a higher intuitive style, whereas higher agreeableness and conscientiousness were significantly associated with lower intuitive style. More agreeableness and conscientiousness were significantly associated with a higher dependent decision-making style, whereas more openness to experience was significantly associated with less dependent decision-making style. More agreeableness, conscientiousness, and neuroticism were significantly associated with less spontaneous decision-making style. None of the personality traits was significantly associated with the avoidant decision-making style. Emotional intelligence seemed to fully mediate the association between conscientiousness and intuitive decision-making style by 38% and partially mediate the association between extroversion and openness to experience with intuitive decision-making style by 49.82 and 57.93% respectively. CONCLUSION: Our study suggests an association between personality traits and decision-making styles. The results suggest that EI showed a significant positive effect on intuitive decision-making style and a negative effect on avoidant and dependent decision-making styles. Additionally, our study underlined the role of emotional intelligence as a mediator factor between personality traits (namely conscientiousness, openness, and extroversion) and decision-making styles.
BACKGROUND: This study aims to assess the impact of personality traits on emotional intelligence (EI) and decision-making among medical students in Lebanese Universities and to evaluate the potential mediating role-played by emotional intelligence between personality traits and decision-making styles in this population. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted between June and December 2019 on 296 general medicine students. RESULTS: Higher extroversion was associated with lower rational decision-making style, whereas higher agreeableness and conscientiousness were significantly associated with a higher rational decision-making style. More extroversion and openness to experience were significantly associated with a higher intuitive style, whereas higher agreeableness and conscientiousness were significantly associated with lower intuitive style. More agreeableness and conscientiousness were significantly associated with a higher dependent decision-making style, whereas more openness to experience was significantly associated with less dependent decision-making style. More agreeableness, conscientiousness, and neuroticism were significantly associated with less spontaneous decision-making style. None of the personality traits was significantly associated with the avoidant decision-making style. Emotional intelligence seemed to fully mediate the association between conscientiousness and intuitive decision-making style by 38% and partially mediate the association between extroversion and openness to experience with intuitive decision-making style by 49.82 and 57.93% respectively. CONCLUSION: Our study suggests an association between personality traits and decision-making styles. The results suggest that EI showed a significant positive effect on intuitive decision-making style and a negative effect on avoidant and dependent decision-making styles. Additionally, our study underlined the role of emotional intelligence as a mediator factor between personality traits (namely conscientiousness, openness, and extroversion) and decision-making styles.
Entities:
Keywords:
Big five; Decision-making; Decision-making style; Emotional intelligence; Medical students; Personality traits