Emotional intelligence and mental health problems among adolescents in vietnam: A school-based survey

Background: The burden of mental health problems among adolescents is substantial and apparent globally. There are fewer data and nature, prevalence and determinants of these problems available from low-and middle-income countries (LMICs). Emotional intelligence (EI), an individual characteristic that is shaped by experience, can protect adolescents from mental health problems in high-income countries. However, this relationship has not been investigated extensively in LMICs and not at all in South East Asian countries. Aim: The aim was to investigate the relationship between EI and symptoms of mental health problems among adolescents in Vietnam. Methods: A cross-sectional survey of adolescents attending schools in rural and urban areas of Central Vietnam was done. Data were collected using an anonymous, self-completed questionnaire, which included study-specific questions about demographic characteristics and the Vietnam-validated Depression-Anxiety-Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21), the UCLA Loneliness Scale (UCLA-8), the Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire – Adolescents Short Form (TEIQue-ASF), which yields four sub-scale scores and a Global EI score. Results: A total of 1,593/1,616 (98.6%) students completed the questionnaire. Students with higher Global EI scores and Well-being, Self-control and Emotionality subscale scores had significantly fewer symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress and a lower risk of having symptoms of loneliness. Well-being, Emotionality, and Sociability protected against loneliness. Conclusion: Higher EI is associated with better mental health among Vietnamese adolescents. Structured interventions to assist parents in providing care that fosters EI and school-based programs to enhance EI potentially promise approaches reducing the burden of mental health problems experienced by young people in Vietnam.