Objective: This study aimed to investigate whether healthcare professionals' emotional intelligence (EI) is associated with self-perceived provision of patient-centered care (PCC), taking into account the potential mediating effect of general self-efficacy (GSE).
Methods: A sample of 318 healthcare professionals, recruited in 2015 among four hospitals in Italy, completed the Provider-Patient Relationship Questionnaire, the Emotional Intelligence Scale, and the General Self-Efficacy scale. A structural equation model was tested with GSE mediating the relationship between EI and self-perceived provision of PCC. Groups of participants based on gender, profession, and work setting were also compared on the study variables.
Results: EI had direct effects on the self-perceived provision of PCC dimensions. GSE partially mediated only the relationship between EI and involving the patient in care. Healthcare professionals in rehabilitation units showed higher self-perceived provision of PCC than those in acute care or ambulatory services.
Conclusion: Self-perceived provision of PCC seems to have the potential to be improved by EI and to be distinguishable from GSE.
Practice implications: Since EI can be developed, findings of this study have potential implications for improving PCC through continuing education interventions for healthcare professionals.
Keywords: Emotional intelligence; General self-efficacy; Healthcare professionals; Patient-centered care; Self-perception.
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