INTRODUCTION:

Emotions such as love, joy, fear, shame, anger, and sadness are fundamental to human experience, impacting our daily decisions, behavior, and relationships. The skill of recognizing, expressing, and managing these emotions in context whether to console, persuade, or defuse tension is referred to as emotional competence¹. When emotions are expressed appropriately, they enhance interpersonal dynamics; conversely, poor emotional regulation can escalate conflicts and strain relationships ².

Emotional Intelligence (EI) is the capacity to perceive, interpret, and manage emotions both our own and those of others. It plays a pivotal role in shaping behavior, enhancing communication, and managing social complexities. High EI is known to reduce workplace conflicts, improve leadership effectiveness, and support psychological resilience³. Just as technical skills are essential for fulfilling job demands, emotional skills are critical for sustaining a healthy work environment⁴.

There is growing consensus that EI is not a fixed trait. While some scholars argue it’s innate, others advocate that EI can be nurtured and developed through structured training and experience⁵. Emotional intelligence equips individuals to manage stress, empathize with others, and navigate social environments more effectively whether in personal life or professional domains⁶.

In adolescents, emotional and behavioral issues are increasingly prevalent, with studies in India showing wide variability in prevalence rates ranging from 2.6% to 35.6%⁷. Research consistently indicates that higher emotional intelligence is positively associated with better psychological well-being, improved academic performance, and social success⁸.

The emergence of EI in academic literature, especially since the 1990s, has significantly influenced fields like education, business, nursing, and psychology⁹. Despite evolving definitions, its relevance across professions continues to grow. Within educational settings, EI is considered a tool for personal development, emotional regulation, and mental health promotion¹⁰. Students with high emotional intelligence are better equipped to respond to life challenges and exhibit stronger coping skills¹¹.

From a cultural standpoint, emotional intelligence in India is deeply rooted in traditional values respect, empathy, altruism, and non-violence which are transmitted through families, educators, and community leaders¹². These cultural dimensions contribute to the formation of emotional and ethical intelligence in adolescents and young adults.

Moreover, natural scientists such as physiologists have explored the biological and evolutionary origins of emotions. Humans are uniquely equipped with both reasoning and emotional faculties. While logic enables precise judgment, emotional awareness fosters empathy an essential human trait that bridges intellect and humanity¹³.

Thus, emotional intelligence serves as a dynamic, integrative framework that not only enhances individual potential but also strengthens societal and interpersonal harmony.

What are emotions?

Emotion is a fundamental aspect of the human condition, deeply embedded in daily experiences and integral to the understanding of behavior, cognition, and physiological functioning. Derived from the Latin term emovere, meaning “to move out,” the concept of emotion inherently implies action. Emotions are not passive occurrences; rather, they mobilize individuals to respond to both internal states and external environments. This capacity for mobilization reflects their adaptive purpose, orienting behavior toward pleasurable stimuli and away from potential threats or discomfort. As such, emotions are central to survival, health, and social functioning, warranting thorough investigation within medical and public health discourse.

At its core, emotion is not merely a subjective feeling but a complex and dynamic psychophysiological phenomenon. Emotions arise through a convergence of sensory stimuli such as those processed through sight, sound, touch, taste, and smell and internal cognitive mechanisms, including memory, imagination, and abstract thought. These experiences are mediated by intricate neural networks that bridge cortical and subcortical brain regions, including the amygdala, hypothalamus, and prefrontal cortex. Importantly, these systems operate with minimal conscious intervention. According to Lazarus and Lazarus (1994), emotional responses often occur automatically and spontaneously, without deliberate intention. This underscores the deeply ingrained and evolutionarily conserved nature of emotion as a biological response system.

Internally, emotional states are often experienced as intense, compelling, and at times overwhelming. These affective experiences are accompanied by distinct physiological patterns, many of which are involuntary. As early as 1945, Woodworth identified that emotions manifest in measurable physiological changes, including fluctuations in heart rate, muscle tension, respiration, and facial expression. These manifestations are regulated by the autonomic nervous system, particularly the sympathetic and parasympathetic branches, which coordinate the body’s response to emotional stimuli. For example, fear may result in increased heart rate, dilated pupils, and heightened alertness, preparing the individual for a fight-or-flight response. Conversely, emotions such as contentment or sadness may trigger parasympathetic responses that promote withdrawal, rest, or introspection.

From a public health and medical perspective, emotions have profound implications for health outcomes and behavioral regulation. Emotional states influence a wide range of health-related behaviors, including dietary habits, physical activity, substance use, and adherence to medical treatment. For instance, chronic emotional distress such as anxiety, depression, or unresolved trauma has been linked to dysregulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, contributing to increased inflammation, impaired immune function, and heightened risk for non-communicable diseases, including cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Moreover, emotional dysregulation is a hallmark of numerous psychiatric conditions, making it a critical focus of both clinical assessment and intervention.

Emotion also plays a pivotal role in social behavior and interpersonal relationships, which in turn influence health across the lifespan. The ability to recognize, interpret, and appropriately respond to emotional cues is essential for effective communication, empathy, and social bonding. Deficits in emotional processing, such as those observed in certain neurodevelopmental or mood disorders, can impair relational functioning and exacerbate isolation—a well-documented determinant of poor health outcomes. Consequently, fostering emotional intelligence and resilience is increasingly recognized as a public health priority, with implications for education, community-based interventions, and policy development⁸.

Types of emotions:

Emotions are not merely spontaneous reactions to external stimuli; they are complex phenomena that simultaneously engage both cognitive and physiological systems. As noted by Mangal and Mangal (2015), emotions actively involve both the mind and body, emerging as the result of an individual’s appraisal of their environment. Rather than occurring in isolation, emotions are shaped by our thoughts, interpretations, and perceptions of specific situations, events, or stimuli. This perspective aligns with the cognitive appraisal theory of emotion, which posits that emotional responses are not direct consequences of events themselves, but rather the result of how those events are mentally evaluated in terms of their relevance to personal well-being.

In this framework, every emotional response can be viewed as a psychological by-product—or more precisely, a synthesized outcome—of a cognitive evaluation process. Individuals assess the likelihood that a particular event or situation will impact their physical or psychological health. This assessment, whether conscious or subconscious, determines not only the intensity of the emotion but also its valence—whether it is experienced as positive or negative. For example, if an individual perceives a situation as supportive, beneficial, or aligned with personal goals, the resulting emotional response is likely to be positive (e.g., joy, pride, relief). Conversely, if the situation is appraised as threatening, harmful, or misaligned with one’s well-being, negative emotions such as fear, anger, or sadness may arise.

This duality—positive versus negative emotional experiences—is essential in understanding how emotions function as adaptive mechanisms. Positive emotions often signal that a current situation is advantageous or safe, reinforcing behaviors that support social bonding, goal attainment, or personal satisfaction. In contrast, negative emotions serve as warning signals, prompting individuals to take protective or corrective actions in the face of perceived threats or challenges. This bifurcation of emotional experiences, based on cognitive appraisal, underscores the role of emotions in regulating behavior, maintaining internal balance, and fostering resilience in changing environments.

Furthermore, the interdependence of cognition and emotion suggests that emotional health is closely tied to mental processing patterns. Individuals who habitually interpret ambiguous events through a negative lens may be more prone to anxiety, depression, or chronic stress—conditions with well-documented public health implications. On the other hand, cognitive strategies such as reappraisal, mindfulness, and positive reframing can enhance emotional regulation and promote psychological well-being. This perspective has practical relevance in clinical settings, educational interventions, and public health initiatives aimed at improving emotional resilience and adaptive functioning.

In summary, Mangal and Mangal’s (2015) conceptualization of emotion emphasizes its dual reliance on cognitive appraisal and physiological response. Emotions are not passive experiences but dynamic processes influenced by how individuals interpret their surroundings. The distinction between positive and negative emotions, grounded in this appraisal process, reflects their function as predictors of impact on physical and psychological well-being. Understanding this mechanism is critical for designing effective mental health interventions, fostering emotional intelligence, and supporting holistic health outcomes across populations.

POSITIVE EMOTIONS:

Positive emotions are widely recognized as critical contributors to an individual’s overall physical and psychological well-being. These affective states are characterized by their pleasant and uplifting nature, promoting mental clarity, social connection, and adaptive functioning. Emotions such as love, affection, curiosity, happiness, cheerfulness, enjoyment, relief, delight, pride, contentment, gratification, bliss, acceptance, trust, kindness, friendliness, affinity, adoration, wonder, and amazement represent a broad spectrum of positive emotional experiences. Each of these emotions can facilitate a heightened sense of well-being by fostering cognitive flexibility, emotional resilience, and an enhanced capacity for social engagement.

Research in affective neuroscience and positive psychology has consistently shown that positive emotional experiences are not only psychologically enriching but also physiologically beneficial. For instance, the experience of joy or contentment is often accompanied by reductions in physiological stress markers such as cortisol, and improvements in immune system functioning. Moreover, positive emotions play a foundational role in the development of a positive mood state, which in turn shapes interpersonal behavior and decision-making processes. Individuals in a positive mood are more likely to exhibit pro-social behaviors, including generosity, empathy, cooperation, and altruism. These behaviors are essential for creating and maintaining healthy social bonds, particularly in collaborative settings such as workplaces, educational institutions, and community organizations.

From a psychosocial perspective, positive emotions serve as social lubricants that promote trust, communication, and cooperation. They facilitate the formation and maintenance of team relationships by enhancing an individual’s openness to others, reducing defensiveness, and encouraging mutual respect. This is particularly important in public health and healthcare contexts, where team cohesion and collaborative decision-making are critical to delivering effective, patient-centered care. Furthermore, individuals experiencing positive emotions are often better equipped to handle interpersonal conflicts. A positive mood broadens cognitive perspectives, making it easier to identify solutions, compromise, and resolve disagreements constructively. In this way, positive emotional states contribute to conflict resolution and strengthen relational ties, both at the personal and professional levels.

In addition to their social benefits, positive emotions have a direct impact on cognitive processes. They are associated with improved problem-solving abilities, enhanced creativity, and more effective decision-making. Barbara Fredrickson’s broaden-and-build theory (2001) posits that positive emotions expand an individual’s momentary thought-action repertoire, encouraging novel, varied, and exploratory thoughts and actions. Over time, this broadening effect helps build enduring personal resources cognitive, social, and psychological that support long-term resilience and well-being⁹.

NEGATIVE EMOTIONS:

Negative emotions can be described as those emotions which affect one’s well-being negatively. Fear, anger, outrage, irritability, gloom, dejection, loneliness, sadness, despair, jealousy, hatred, and violence etc. are some examples of, negative emotions. A negative emotion like fear induces wrath in people, producing a negative style of thinking, where one suspects everyone and everything around them, thus hampering relationships. Sadness, another negative emotion, leads to depression and isolates an individual from the social world, resulting in loneliness, and hindering social relationships. However, sadness sometimes motivates us to focus on the details of a confronting situation, mostly in solving relationship problems. Anger narrows our capacity to comprehend situations, and also hampers our cognitive capabilities. It tunes the focus of our entire energy into a perceived threat without considering its dire consequences and may create friction in our relationships. Thus, it is preferable to defer any decision making or problem solving, when angry.

History of Emotional Intelligence:

The origins of Emotional Intelligence (EI) trace back to the earliest stages of human social evolution. From primitive cave societies to organized hunting groups, the ability to navigate social dynamics, adapt to change, and cooperate with others was not only beneficial but essential for survival. Although these adaptive socio-emotional capabilities were implicitly recognized throughout human history, it was Charles Darwin who first articulated their functional significance. In the 1870s, Darwin emphasized the critical role of emotional expression in human survival and adaptation, thus laying the foundational perspective for the scientific study of emotion.

The formal exploration of intelligence, however, initially centered on cognitive processes. Early psychologists focused predominantly on intellectual functions such as memory, reasoning, and problem-solving. This narrow conceptualization of intelligence began to shift with the work of Edward Thorndike, who, in 1920, introduced the concept of "social intelligence" defined as the ability to understand and manage people and to act wisely in human relationships. Thorndike’s proposal marked one of the earliest recognitions of non-cognitive intelligence as a distinct and valuable domain.

Building on this broader view, David Wechsler, a pioneering figure in intelligence testing, argued in 1943 that non-intellectual factors were critical in determining an individual’s capacity for success in life. Despite these insights, the non-cognitive aspects of intelligence remained largely overlooked for several decades. It was not until 1983 that Howard Gardner reinvigorated interest in the multifaceted nature of human intelligence. In his theory of multiple intelligences, Gardner proposed eight distinct types of intelligence, among which interpersonal and intrapersonal intelligence directly align with what we now consider core components of Emotional Intelligence. He asserted that these intelligences were just as vital as the more traditional IQ-based constructs.

Further contributions came from Robert Sternberg in 1985, who introduced a triarchic theory of intelligence that included “practical intelligence” a form of intelligence related to everyday problem-solving and social adaptation, closely linked to emotional competencies. These theoretical advancements broadened the understanding of intelligence to include emotional and social dimensions that contribute meaningfully to personal and professional effectiveness.

The modern conceptualization of Emotional Intelligence began to take formal shape with the work of psychologists John Mayer and Peter Salovey, who are credited with coining the term "Emotional Intelligence" in 1990. They defined EI as the capacity to perceive, understand, manage, and regulate emotions in oneself and others. Their framework laid the groundwork for extensive empirical research and practical applications in areas such as education, organizational behavior, mental health, and public health.

Need for Emotional Intelligence:

It is an inherent need for people to communicate with others regularly in different situations. Many people try to improve their ability to stay active by dealing with their emotions. To do this, they introspect and try to find ways to handle their emotions positively which is relatively the most challenging thing and needs a lot of patience and time.

A study shows that 80% of students are having high emotional intelligence, 20% of students are having moderate emotional intelligence and none of the adolescent students are having low emotional intelligence ¹⁰.A person is successful if he can manage the affairs of his personal and professional life. The success indicates the accomplishment of one's life goals and purposes, depending on the amount of efforts they put in. Traditionally, it has been believed that emotions play a negative role in our life, i.e. it distracts us, clouds our judgment, makes us vulnerable, and controls us, but the modern psychologists believe that emotions motivate us, improves our understanding, make us confident, build trust, and we must regulate them. EI helps us to maintain good interpersonal and friendly relationships with others, positively persuading others, to reach goals, succeed and get promoted in a career. From a modern psychological standpoint, individuals with high levels of Emotional Intelligence (EI) particularly those who possess strong emotional regulation skills are more likely to achieve success across various domains of life. Contemporary theorists assert that EI plays a pivotal role in personal and professional functioning by enhancing one’s ability to navigate complex emotional and social environments. People with elevated EI tend to demonstrate superior emotional self-awareness, as well as an acute sensitivity to the emotional states and needs of others. This dual capacity enables them to interact more effectively in interpersonal contexts, fostering positive relationships and constructive conflict resolution.

Moreover, high-EI individuals excel in managing their emotional responses, especially under pressure. Rather than reacting impulsively in the face of anger, frustration, or stress, they exhibit restraint and composure, allowing them to evaluate situations from multiple perspectives. This capacity for emotional control contributes to more thoughtful decision-making and problem-solving. They are less likely to be derailed by emotional volatility and more likely to maintain focus and clarity, even in challenging circumstances.

Crucially, individuals with high EI demonstrate a strong sense of self-reflection. They engage in honest self-evaluation, acknowledge their own emotional patterns, and are open to feedback and constructive criticism. This level of emotional maturity not only facilitates personal growth but also enhances social cohesion, as such individuals are perceived as approachable, empathetic, and trustworthy. In both individual and group contexts, their ability to maintain emotional balance and respond with emotional intelligence significantly contributes to healthier relationships, higher productivity, and overall life satisfaction.

Characteristics of Emotional Intelligence:

Daniel Goleman, an American psychologist, developed a framework of five elements that define emotional intelligence:

Self-Awareness – People with high EI have the ability to understand their own emotions and are more self- aware. They feel more confident than others as they know when to trust their intuition. They are masters of their emotions. They even accept criticism and use it to improve their performance. They have the ability to understand their strengths and weaknesses.

Self-Regulation – Self-regulation means one’s ability to control his/her emotions and impulses. People who master self-regulation do not allow their emotions and impulses to rule them. They are masters in managing their emotions and are eminently careful in making decisions. They have the qualities of thoughtfulness, integrity, and feeling comfort with change.

Motivation – Motivation is one of the characteristics of an emotionally intelligent individual. Highly motivated individuals show high levels of productivity and effectiveness in their work. They love challenges and prefer long-term goals rather than immediate results.

Empathy – Empathy is the second most crucial element in EI. Empathy means the ability to understand others’ views and also their needs. Empathetic individuals are capable of recognizing others' feelings and are skilled at managing relationships. Active listening is one of the important characteristics of empathy. An empathetic individual avoids stereotyping and judging too quickly and lives very openly and honestly.

Social Skills – It is easy to mingle with people who have excellent social skills. People with high social skills focus on success in their lives. They can manage disputes with ease and also help others to shine and develop. They are adept at interpersonal communication, and in building and maintaining relationships.

Stage 1-identifying our own emotional state:

This stage is concerned with the awareness of an individual about his own feelings and emotional state during a particular situation at a particular time. The main core is; one should have a clear idea about their needs which are to be controlled or managed on their part.

Stage II-figuring out the underlying causes that are responsible for present emotional state:

The stage is concerned with determining the causes, that led an individual to inflict their present emotional state such as fear, anger, sorrow or happiness etc. Blaming others (persons, things and situations) in the environment for the emotional changes in oneself is a common tendency. In fact, we alone are the reason for our own emotional state. An individual should develop insight and try to figure out the causes for a particular emotional state from the happenings.

State-III Control the emotional state:

The individual should focus on the appropriate measures to control the emotional state when the feelings are too intense, either it may be positive or negative. Indeed, one should provide a safe out let for their emotions to come out-to save themselves from intense flow of emotions. One should make sure that they should not blame things in the environment for their own emotional state. To practice control, one should follow certain measures to reduce anxiety and stress. By adopting relaxation and distracting techniques like using appropriate humor, deep breathing, counting numbers from one to ten, managing negative self-talk, engaging in other activities, writing thoughts on paper etc., one can gain control over their emotional state. One should make use of their emotional energy in a constructive way to produce their thoughtfulness in a positive and reasonable manner.²

Developing The Ability or Skill of Managing Interpersonal Relationships:

Managing interpersonal relationship proves helpful in a variety of ways and means like

1. Developing social relationships with people in one’s environment in a desirable way.

2. Establishing and maintaining long and lasting friendship and understanding with each other

3. Developing intimacy, loyalty and trust in the interpersonal relationships

4. Enjoying warmth, happiness and mutual satisfaction through the maintenance of such relationships

5. Seeking proper adjustment and enjoying company of each other and

6. Working towards the common goals for the mutual welfare.

7. To imbibe the ability of managing interpersonal relationships and to get success in life

Developing or improving the ability of emotional self-control:

The ability or skill associated with emotional self-control is an acquired phenomenon instead of being an inherited one. Therefore, the efforts in terms of providing an adequate experience and bringing desirable changes in the behavior through education and training may work quite favorably in the development of emotional self-control. An individual can also venture in to getting himself equipped with the ability of emotional self-control through his self-efforts.

Emotional Intelligence among Nurses and Its Relationship with Their Performance and Work Engagement:

Emotional Intelligence (EI) is fundamental to the nursing profession because it facilitates the processing of emotional information for individualized and improved patient care through effective communication and therapeutic relationships. Nurses’ roles are versatile from promoting and restoring patients’ health too seeing the quality of care and supervising nursing teams. Dealing with different duties and responsibilities under different conditions on the daily basis requires nurses to enhance personal and professional skills in healthcare settings. In healthcare, professional nursing practice relies heavily on organizational and personal engagement. Nursing staff engagement is not only a vital variable for quality care but also a source of personal satisfaction and wellbeing in clinical practice¹¹. Employees who are engaged in their work accept any recommendations related to their profession and are loyal to their organizations where they work at. Studies showed that work engagement among nurses is associated with different factors such as work environment, optimism, and self-efficacy. On the other hand, emotional intelligence (EI) skills, such as self-awareness, emotion control, motivation, and recognition, were found as important indicators for nurse engagement and performance. Furthermore, enhancing EI skills positively relates to personal satisfaction, wellbeing, and, ultimately, positive nursing outcomes. Nurses’ work engagement is significantly predicted by the EI resources in workplace^11,12. Research study conducted to examine the relationship between emotional intelligence and work engagement among nurses working in critical areas and it found that there is a significant positive correlation between emotional intelligence and work engagement. EI as a developmental tool is beneficial in maintaining nurses’ ability to carry on with their jobs; however, other aspects related to the workplace, such as support from the supervisor or training on empathy inpatient care, can be associated with work performance. Job preference of workers depends on different factors including goals and values of each organization. Given the unique challenges facing health care professionals after their cent pandemic, it is very important for nurses to enhance their EI skills, such as self-motivation as it has a significant impact on their performance.

Emotional Intelligence (EI) has become a critical factor in nursing practice, significantly influencing clinical performance, interpersonal communication, and the quality of patient care. Nurses with low EI often find it challenging to manage occupational stress, leading to reduced work efficiency and job dissatisfaction¹³. In contrast, emotionally intelligent nurses are better equipped to regulate their emotions and utilize emotional information to guide thinking and behavior, particularly under pressure. EI enables them to cultivate interpersonal effectiveness, fostering trust, compassion, and empathy, which are foundational to patient-centered care. Practicing clinical empathy recognizing and appropriately responding to patients’ emotional needs is one of the most visible manifestations of EI in healthcare¹⁴.

Moreover, EI supports a systems-thinking approach, allowing nurses to understand the complexities of healthcare as an interconnected structure that demands collaborative and adaptive thinking. This perspective is particularly vital in countries like Saudi Arabia, where the healthcare system is undergoing significant reforms that require interprofessional cooperation and flexible, emotionally resilient practitioners¹⁵. In such dynamic contexts, the competencies associated with EI such as adaptability, motivation, and empathy are indispensable for ensuring quality care and fostering innovation. Nurses with high EI are more self-aware and confident, capable of handling criticism constructively and making emotionally informed decisions, which ultimately enhances workplace morale and patient safety¹⁶.

Nursing education plays a pivotal role in shaping these competencies. The nursing course itself is a transitional period marked by psychological stress, emotional volatility, and increased independence from familial support systems. Students who lack effective coping mechanisms and emotional regulation may experience negative health behaviors and academic burnout⁸. However, research suggests that EI when integrated with spiritual intelligence and coping strategies can promote healthier behavioral responses during this critical phase (Pavlova et al., 2021). Furthermore, empirical studies have shown gender differences in EI among nursing students, with female students consistently scoring higher in emotional intelligence domains such as empathy and social skills^8,17.

To optimize nursing performance and foster emotionally intelligent practice environments, it is essential to institutionalize EI training through workshops and ongoing professional development. Nurse leaders must also contribute by cultivating workplace cultures that prioritize emotional awareness, reflective practice, and psychological safety. As the nursing profession continues to evolve alongside healthcare systems globally, emotional intelligence remains a central pillar for sustaining compassionate care, team cohesion, and organizational resilience.

Is emotional intelligence subject to improvement?

Several researchers focus on different contradictory effects of emotional intelligence on elucidating the possibility to improve ones’ emotional intelligence. One view portrays emotional intelligence as an ability model reflecting one’s cognitive ability that is subjected to improvement and can be measured using achievement scales. Another view of emotional intelligence is a trait model resembling their personality traits which can be self-perceived regarding their strength, and these traits can be viewed as indigenous, located more profound in the levels of personality hierarchies. As these traits are indigenous, they are not subject to improvement (2). Yet, several researchers assert that one can improve emotional intelligence as it is a learned concept which is developed by environmental influences over a period of time. Studies have shown that there was high positive correlation between self- regulation and excellent performance and negative correlation between self- awareness and below average performance. Therefore, it was revealed that EI had some impact on performance ¹⁷. The nursing profession is labor intensive and nurses needs to regulate their emotions for the sake of their patients, their families and health care team member’s needs¹⁸.

CONCLUSION:

Emotional intelligence is a critical component of effective leadership. Leaders who are self-aware, empathetic, emotionally regulated, and socially skilled are better equipped to build strong relationships with their team and colleagues, manage conflict, and make sound decisions. By actively working to develop your emotional intelligence, you can become a more effective and successful leader. Parents and teachers can have a positive impact on children's emotional development by modeling appropriate emotional behaviors and displaying sensitivity and compassion. Through them adolescents can learn how to control their emotions, improve their communication abilities, and form enduring bonds with others.

Emotional intelligence promises to predict and improve the life skills of individuals. It is believed that in understanding, analyzing and managing emotions in themselves and others, lies the key to an improved quality of life. As the characteristics of EI is the crucial factor which validates their claim, the first and foremost challenge that faces to design or improve upon existing measures which will accurately evaluate and assess the emotional skills of an individual. This will also set to rest the other fundamental question whether emotional intelligence is a distinct form of intelligence or simply old wine in new bottle. Another challenge that faces is that there are too many factors and approaches which is though vital and a healthy sign, many a time it leads to confusion among researchers as to which definition or approach has to be taken. This has also led people to accuse the concept as mere hype and ignoring and trashing. But, as Cheeriness et al. (2006) pointed out, even after hundred years of research there is still not a consensus about what IQ is or the best way to measure it. To judge or criticize EI to a different standard definitely needs rethinking.

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Received on 20.03.2024 Revised on 17.01.2025

Accepted on 27.06.2025 Published on 16.08.2025

Available online from August 25, 2025

Int. J. Nursing Education and Research. 2025;13(3):179-186.

DOI: 10.52711/2454-2660.2025.00038

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Creative Commons License.