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2021 - Volume 5 - Number 2

Emotional Intelligence as a Healthy Trained Coping Mechanism for Recovery and Empowerment in SARS COVID-19 Stress

Silva Ibrahimi * ibrahimi.silva@gmail.com * ORCID: 0000-0003-3233-1157 * ResearcherID: N-5693-2018
Albanian University, Department of Psychology, Tirana, ALBANIA

Elisabeta Kafia * elisabetakafia@yahoo.co.uk 
Albanian University, Department of Psychology, Tirana, ALBANIA

Robert M. Gordon
Diplomate of Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy, Osprey, UNITED STATES

Ervin Ibrahimi
Cooss-Marche, Health Care, Azzeruolo, ITALY

Open Journal for Psychological Research, 2021, 5(2), 31-42 * https://doi.org/10.32591/coas.ojpr.0502.01031i
Received: 8 April 2021 ▪ Accepted: 1 October 2021 ▪ Published Online: 8 November 2021

LICENCE: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

ARTICLE (Full Text - PDF)

ABSTRACT:
The objective of the current article is to explore the emotional intelligence (EI) as a coping mechanism and training competence in the management of SARS COVID-19 pandemic stress in Albanian students. Methods we administered online is the Mayer-Salovey-Caruso emotional intelligence Test (MSCEIT) and The Scale of Impact of Stressful (Albanian version) for SARS COVID-19, that was standardized by the authors. Data were analyzed by SPSS v.26 and interpreted by Pearson correlation coefficient and t-test. The sample of respondents were 300 students (N=300) from 5 state universities in Albania, of whom 198 female (66%) and 102 male (34%) in range of 19-25 years. The results showed an inverse correlation between pandemic stress symptoms and self-awareness (r=-.765, p<0.01), pandemic stress symptoms and empathy (r=-.875, p<0.01) and between pandemic stress symptoms and social skills (r=-.456, p<0.01). These correlations suggest that the less emotional intelligence the more pandemic stress symptoms. That is, emotional intelligence is a healthy coping mechanism to be used to reduce the pandemic crisis emotions. This study supports the finding that training or treatment that increases emotional intelligence and its related subcategories in individuals should provide a mitigating effect on the crisis emotions of the COVID -19 pandemic stress. We suggest that better preventive mental health public training strategies can be a significant factor not only in reducing subjective distress but also in keeping the immune system strong and healthy.

KEY WORDS: emotional intelligence, COVID-19, stress, healthy coping mechanism.

CORRESPONDING AUTHOR:
Silva Ibrahimi (PhD), Albanian University, Department of Psychology, Tirana, ALBANIA. E-mail: silva.ibrahimi@yahoo.it.

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