Stress and Emotional Intelligence in Older Adults in Chihuahua, Chihuahua, Mexico

Abstract

Objective: to know the relationship that exists between Emotional Intelligence and Stressful Life Events in Older Adults.

Materials and Methods: Correlational descriptive study, in 95 participants from Chihuahua, Chihuahua, Mexico. A Personal Data Record, the Meta-Mood Scale and the Stress Inventory in the Life of Older Adults were applied.

Results: 64.2% of the participants were females, the events that the elderly experienced the most in the last year were the presence of an injury or illness in the Elderly (67.4%), not being able to carry out activities that they enjoyed a lot (65.3%) and the death of a close family member (63.8%). No significant relationship was found between Emotional Intelligence and Stressful Life Events in Older Adults (rs = -.06, p = .56), however, an analysis was carried out with each one of the events and the results showed that Emotional Intelligence was positively related to the death of a close family member (rs = .65, p = .05), the alteration in the health of a family member (rs = .54, p = .05), not being able to do activities they enjoyed (rs = .54, p = .05).

Conclusions: The repeated experience of Stressful Life Events can negatively impact the health of the Elderly, more studies are required to identify how Emotional Intelligence can help the Elderly to face these events.

Key words: aged; stress psychological; emotional intelligence.