"The Role Of Emotional Intelligence In Mitigating Symptoms Of Depression And Anxiety In The Elderly Population"

Abstract

Emotional intelligence is an important of psychological approaches which have been employed when it comes to the issue of many populations with reference to the elderly. These are the rationale why this paper seeks to assess the feasibility of the use of EI to reduce depression and anxiety among older individuals. Suggested protective psychosocial factors should be considered because elderly people are vulnerable to developing several forms of psychological disorders linked with isolation, illnesses, and loss of independence. Questionnaires[1] were self-administered to 300 retirees of sixty years and above in three selected retirement homes as well three centres for the elderly. Participants completed standardized assessments: For assessing the level of EI, Wong, and Law Emotional Intelligence Scale (WLEIS) will be used while depression and anxiety levels among the participants would be determined using Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) and Geriatric Anxiety Inventory (GAI). In the multiple regression and ANOVA analyses it was concluded that; Students’ EI was a negative correlate of depression and anxiety; F = (8,41) = 7.64, p < 0.05). Additionally, the multiple regression analysis showed that, two aspects of EI: compartment, self-awareness were characterized by the (-) r values of the lowest negative connection with the symptoms of pathological disorders. The study is invaluable in geriatric psychology because it highlights the fact that EI could be an area of emphasis in successful aging. As for me, I suggest the integration of the EI programme into the context of the above-mentioned group of the frail and demented elderly people and their carers’ training. There are theoretical and empirical findings on emotional competencies in the promotion and application of prevention and intervention for the elderly’s mental health.