Construction and Validation of the Scale of Emotional Functioning: Medicine (SEF: MED)

In order to construct and validate a scale of emotional intelligence (EI) for the medical field 80 residents responded to a 69-item self-report measure during the pilot phase the Scale of Emotional Functioning: Medicine (SEF: MED); based on a two-phase item and structural analyses a final 36-item version was created with adequate psychometric characteristics based on responses from 316 residents. Internal consistency reliabilities for the three SEF: MED scales of Interpersonal Relations (IR), Emotional Awareness (EA), and Emotional Management (EM) were .81, .82, and .84., respectively. Confirmatory Factor Analysis supported the expected three-factor solution. The SEF: MED was validated by comparing it to related measures (i.e., the Profile of Emotional Competence (PEC) and the Maslach Burnout Inventory- Human Services Survey for Medical Personnel (MBI-HSS (MP)). Correlation coefficients were consistent with predictions. For example, correlation coefficients between the Total EI composite on the SEF: MED and the PEC global scales ranged from .64 to .68. As expected, the Total EI composite on the SEF: MED was significantly related to the MBI-HSS (MP) Emotional Exhaustion, Depersonalization, and Personal Accomplishment scales (-.50, -.44, .52, respectively). The SEF: MED has the potential to provide useful data to medical physicians and other medical professionals as they consider their well-being and the health of their patients.