Effect of soft skills and emotional intelligence of health-care professionals on burnout: a Lebanese cross-sectional study / Effekte von Soft Skills und emotionaler Intelligenz auf Burnout von Fachkräften im Gesundheitswesen: eine Querschnittsstudie aus dem Libanon

Abstract Objectives The main objective of this study is to assess the effect of soft skills and emotional intelligence on burnout among health-care professionals in Lebanon. Materials and methods A cross-sectional study was conducted among health-care professionals working all over Lebanon for a period of 3 months starting from March till June 2021. In total, 324 out of 345 contacted health-care professionals responded. The survey was anonymous and administered via social networks as a link to an electronic form. The study included general sociodemographic questions and validated scales to measure emotional intelligence (Trait Meta-Mood Scale [TMMS-24]), burnout (Maslach Burnout Inventory for Health Services Survey [MBI-HSS]), and soft skills. Results Higher burnout was associated with lower soft skills (β = −0.137). Job satisfaction was negatively associated with burnout (β = −8.064). Nurses had higher burnout levels than dentists, radiologists, midwives, nutritionists, psychotherapists, and speech therapists (β = −4.595). Also, people working in Baalbek, Akkar, Beqaa, North and South had lower burnout levels compared to those working in Beirut (β = −9.015). As for emotional intelligence, no statistically significant association was found with burnout (P = 0.116). Conclusion This study showed that soft skills and emotional intelligence can affect job burnout. Additional research should be conducted in order to support our findings.