title: The Relationship between Emotional Intelligence and Nicotine Dependence in Lebanese Adults.
abstract: Emotional intelligence (EI) is known to be a risk factor for several types of addiction. The purpose of this study was to investigate, in a cross-sectional design, the presence of a relationship between the level of EI and nicotine dependence in a sample of Lebanese adults. A self-administered questionnaire was used to determine the sociodemographic characteristics, the level of nicotine dependence, and the level of EI in a sample of 142 Lebanese participants from the community. The sample was 51.4% women, with a mean age of 33.9 years. There was no difference in EI level between smokers and non-smokers (p = 0.66), and there were no associations between EI level and the level of nicotine dependence (p = 0.59). However, EI was positively correlated with age (p = 0.023). Due to the fact that smokers have been dependent on nicotine for many years and that EI is known to increase with age, findings suggest that low EI may be a risk factor for initiation, rather than maintenance, of nicotine dependence.
authors.affiliation: a Attending and Lecturer , Hotel Dieu de France Hospital and Saint Joseph University , Beirut , Lebanon.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bou Khalil
authors.affiliation: b Resident, Department of Internal Medicine , Hotel Dieu de France Hospital and Saint Joseph University , Beirut , Lebanon.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chaar
authors.affiliation: c Coordinator, Non Communicable Diseases (NCD) Department , Ministry of Public Health , Beirut , Lebanon.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Bou-Orm
authors.affiliation: d Attending and Assistant Professor, Department of Pulmonology and Tobaccology , Hotel Dieu de France Hospital and Saint Joseph University , Beirut , Lebanon.
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Aoun-Bacha
authors.affiliation: e Associate Professor, Head of Department of Psychiatry , Hotel Dieu de France Hospital and Saint Joseph University , Beirut , Lebanon.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Richa
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D056348:Emotional Intelligence; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007861:Lebanon / Q000208:ethnology; D008297:Male; D012907:Smoking / Q000208:ethnology*; D014029:Tobacco Use Disorder / Q000208:ethnology*
keywords: Addiction; Lebanon; adults; emotional intelligence; nicotine