Trait Emotional Intelligence, Secondary Trauma Self-Efficacy, and Compassion Fatigue among Doctors

Abstract

Doctors working in the emergency departments of hospitals are persistently exposed to high levels of secondary trauma, which can lead to compassion fatigue. This research aimed to identify the relationship between emotional intelligence, secondary trauma self-efficacy, and compassion fatigue among physicians working in emergency departments of Pakistani hospitals. The research design was correlational, and a purposive sampling strategy was employed to collect online data. The results indicate a positive relationship between trait emotional intelligence and secondary traumatic self-efficacy while the relationship between trait emotional intelligence and compassion fatigue is negative. Secondary trauma self-efficacy tends to partially mediate the relationship between emotional intelligence and compassion fatigue in doctors, with women showing more compassion fatigue. The study recommends that healthcare leadership and policymakers conduct educational programs and counseling for emergency department doctors, especially women doctors, to enhance their emotional intelligence and self-efficacy and combat compassion fatigue.