Emotional intelligence in association with quality of life in patients recently diagnosed with vestibular schwannoma.
OBJECTIVE
The objective of this study was two-fold. First, to examine the levels of emotional intelligence in patients recently diagnosed with vestibular schwannoma, in comparison to those of healthy individuals and patients with other physical illness. Second, to evaluate the correlation between Emotional Intelligence and quality of life.


METHODS
Cross sectional study in a university tertiary referral center.


METHODS
Consecutive patients (mean age [range], 56.4 [17-85] yr) diagnosed with vestibular schwannoma between April 2011 and October 2012 (N = 254). Sociodemographic characteristics, clinical characteristics, disease-specific quality of life (PANQOL), and Emotional Intelligence (TEIQue-SF) were assessed by questionnaire before the start of medical treatment.


RESULTS
Levels of Emotional Intelligence in patients with vestibular schwannoma (N = 178; response rate 70.1%) were significantly lower compared with healthy individuals and patients with cancer. Emotional Intelligence was highly positively correlated to disease-specific quality of life. Balance disorders and cranial nerve dysfunction made a significant negative contribution to the quality of life. For educational level, a significant positive contribution was found as well.


CONCLUSIONS
The substantial impact of a vestibular schwannoma-diagnosis on a psychological measure (i.e., Emotional Intelligence) in the affected patients as demonstrated in our study has important clinical and research implications when developing guidelines about counselling of these patients. This also has to be taken into account when making clinical decisions about the proposed treatment. Addressing Emotional Intelligence may be helpful in the development of a self-management program for patients with vestibular schwannoma.
*Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, and †Department of Medical Statistics, and ‡Department of Medical Psychology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands.
Bibian M
BM
van Leeuwen
Jacoba M
JM
Borst
Hein
H
Putter
Jeroen C
JC
Jansen
Andel G L
AG
van der Mey
Adrian A
AA
Kaptein
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D056348:Emotional Intelligence; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009464:Neuroma, Acoustic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult