bs_bs_banner International Journal of Nursing Practice 2014; 20: 588–596 RESEARCH PAPER Relationship between self-compassion and emotional intelligence in nursing students Emine S¸enyuva PhD BSN Assistant Professor, Nursing Education Department, Istanbul University Florence Nightingale Nursing Faculty,˙ Istanbul, Turkey Hülya Kaya BSN PhD Associate Professor, Nursing Education Department, Istanbul University Florence Nightingale Nursing Faculty,˙ Istanbul, Turkey Burçin Is¸ik PhD BSN Assistant Professor, Faculty of Health Sciences Nursing Department, Zirve University, Gaziantep, Turkey Gönül Bodur BSN PhD Student, Nursing Education Department, Istanbul University Florence Nightingale Nursing Faculty,˙ Istanbul, Turkey Accepted for publication March 2013 S¸enyuva E, Kaya H, Is¸ik B, Bodur G. International Journal of Nursing Practice 2014; 20: 588–596 Relationship between self-compassion and emotional intelligence in nursing students Nursing focuses on meeting physical, social and emotional health-care needs of individuals, families and society. In health care, nurses directly communicate with patients and try to empathize with them. Nurses give care under emotionally intense conditions where the individual undergoes pain and distress. Research is aimed at analysing the correlation of self-compassion and emotional intelligence of nursing students. The population of the research consisted of all the undergraduate students (571 students) of the 2010–2011 fall semester of the department of nursing. An information form, Self-compassion Scale and Emotional Intelligence Assessment Scale were utilized to obtain data for the research. For the assessment of the findings of research, Statistical Package for Social Sciences 16.0 for Windows was utilized for statistical analysis. Results indicated that there is a correlation between self-compassion and emotional intelligence and that emotional intelligence, which includes the individual perceiving one’s emotions and using the knowledge one gained from them to function while directing thoughts, actions and professional applications, has positive contributions to the features of nurses with developed self-compassion. Key words: emotional intelligence, nursing, nursing education, nursing students, self-compassion. INTRODUCTION Nursing focuses on meeting the physical, social and emo- Correspondence: Emine S¸enyuva, Istanbul University Florence Nightin- tional health-care needs of individuals, families and gale Nursing Faculty, Nursing Education Department, Abide-i society. In health care, nurses directly communicate with Hürriyet Street, Çag˘layan-S¸is¸li/I˙stanbul 34381, Turkey. Email: patients and try to empathize with them. Nurses give care [email protected] under emotionally intense conditions where the individual © 2013 Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd doi:10.1111/ijn.12204 Self-compassion and emotional intelligence 589 undergoes pain and distress.1 Nurses need to be in contact self-kindness, mindfulness and common humanity.7,12 with the individual, be open towards his/her emotion, be Self-kindness is the ability to treat oneself with care, supportive in accepting his/her emotions, be affectionate rather than harsh self-judgment and self-criticism.12,17 and approach the mistakes and lapses without prejudice Common humanity is recognizing that failure, suffering during the time when they provide care.1 In relevant and hardship are shared aspects of the human experience studies, it is indicated that this situation increases depres- in general, rather than feeling socially alienated and sion, decreases job satisfaction and causes psychosocial isolated by these imperfections. It states the acknowledge- problems in nurses where in time, they are desensitized ment of the fact that one’s happy or distressful experi- towards the people they meet, feel emotionally exhausted ences are not solely distinct to oneself and that all other and lose their sense of personal success and sufficiency.2–4 human beings have similar experiences.12,17,18 Mindfulness Hence, the quality of life and self-compassion of nurses is the discernment that aids an individual in accepting the are adversely affected. However, nurses need to notice hardest and saddening emotions of life without letting the truth about individual failures and realize that negative oneself be carried away by the exaggerated storyline of emotions and thoughts result from such an attitude distress.12,19 In other words, it can be defined as balancing towards life and need to show consciousness to keep it on the feelings and thoughts of suffering and hardship, not balance.5 This situation requires nurses to be professional avoiding them, and accepting them without being over- members with developed self-compassion and emotional identified with them or exaggerating them.12 Although intelligence, which are crucial elements for rendering these three dimensions of self-compassion conceptually caregiving.1,6 Self-compassion is the ability to be compas- differ from each other and are phenomenologically sionate to oneself, without this ability nurses might not be experienced on different levels, they interact with, engen- prepared to be compassionate to patient/individuals/ der and enhance one another.12,13 family.7 One aspect of the role of the professional nurse in Studies also demonstrated that self-compassion is nega- practicing humanizing nursing is being aware of his/her tively associated with self-criticism, depression, anxiety, self as a variable in the nurse–patient relationship. It is rumination and thought suppression and positively associ- proposed that students and nurses to be sensitive to their ated with social relationship, acceptance, awareness, own feelings and encouraged in the development of this self-improvement, emotional intelligence and self- self-awareness. Although both self-compassion and emo- determination.12–14,20,21The term ‘emotional intelligence’ tional are important concepts in nursing little is known has been coined by Salovey & Mayer22 to define the ability about these characteristics in nursing students. So, it is to understand feelings of oneself and other people, choose most important to be developed nursing students’ among them and apply this knowledge in one’s actions. self-compassion and emotional intelligence.1 Goleman defines emotional intelligence as the ability to understand one’s own feelings, empathize with other Background people’s feelings and arrange to enrich experiences and A variety of different concepts intended for the individual holds a five-dimension approach towards it, consisting of to develop healthy attitudes towards oneself, maintain awareness of one’s feelings (self-awareness), control over his/her mental health, cope with stress and establish one’s own feelings (self-management), self-motivation, healthy relationships have been defined by many psycholo- empathy and social awareness.23,24 Self-awareness is the gists. Self-esteem, self-efficacy, personal character and ability to recognize and construe one’s emotions, values, self-compassion are among few to name.8–11 aims, strengths, weaknesses and skills. Self-management According to Neff, self-compassion is being receptive is the ability to have internal control over oneself; to adapt to one’s feelings that cause suffering and hardship, to unexpected conditions and change; to be receptive of approaching oneself with concern and warmth, being new ideas, approaches and knowledge; to take respon- sensible and non-judgmental towards oneself in times of sibility for the consequences occurred; to question insufficiency and failure and accepting that negative oneself; and to cope better with the problematic aspects of experiences are a part of human living.12–15 In other life. Self-motivation is the ability to direct one’s emotions words, self-compassion is the ability to handle suffering- in order to achieve goals, recognize opportunities and act related emotions tenderly, with great interest and upon difficulties to change them into opportunities and to consciously.16 Self-compassion has three dimensions: be more productive and active despite all shortcomings. © 2013 Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd 590 ES¸enyuva et al. Empathy is the skill of understanding other individual’s students especially those who are thought to be nurses to emotions, recognizing their points of view, developing provide care for individuals with different individual and susceptibility in this sense and caring for their feelings socio-cultural characteristics and develop an efficient without being judgmental or defensive. Social awareness training period if they improve themselves about emo- is the ability to understand and control the emotions and tional intelligence and self-compassion. Both emotional thoughts of other individuals along with one’s own; to intelligence and self-compassion are thought to be the provide negotiation and solutions in cases of disagree- qualifications that nurses need to have in order to develop ment, directing the behaviours of other individuals more effective relationships with individuals, families and towards one’s demands; to arrange healthy relationships the community in the future, be good role models, cope in one’s environment; and, in result of these, lead a with problems that they could encounter with individuals successful and happy life.23,24 from a variety of age groups and maintain a healthy private Emotional intelligence can be considered in terms of life with their friends, families and spouses. Furthermore, what the individual contributes