Relationship between Emotional Intelligence and Ethical Behavior of Nurses

Abstract

〔Aims〕This study aimed to clarify the relationship between emotional intelligence and ethical behavior of nurses.

〔Methods〕The study conducted a questionnaire survey of 2,000 nurses. The statistical analysis was performed by calculating basic statistics and conducting a correlation analysis and multiple regression analysis. The collected data were presented as frequency, percentage, mean, and standard deviation, and analyzed using Spearman’s rank correlation analysis and forced entry method; IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 28.0 was used for the statistical analyses.

〔Results〕Data from 331 respondents were analyzed. The Emotional Intelligence Scale score was 4.59 ± 0.65 and Ethical Behavior Scale score was 4.43 ± 0.49. The multiple regression analysis revealed that the adjusted coefficients of determination for the four subfactors of emotional intelligence were .124 for “risk aversion,” .238 for “good care,” and .087 for “fair care.” For “risk aversion,” “self-emotion appraisal”（β = .151, p = .012） had the largest standard partial regression coefficient; for “good care,” it was “others’ emotion appraisal”（β = .221, p <.001）.

〔Conclusions〕Differences in the degree of influence of emotional intelligence on ethical behavior were observed for each subfactor. Thus, enhancing “others’ emotion appraisal” and “use of emotion” can lead to ethical behavior of nurses.