Relationship between intuition and emotional intelligence in occupational therapists in mental health practice

<b><span style="font-size: 12px;">Objective:</span></b><span style="font-size: 12px;"> <br />Clinical reasoning studies have acknowledged tacit aspects of practice, and recent research </span><span style="font-size: 12px;">suggests that clinical reasoning contains intuition informed by tacit knowledge. Intuition also appears to be </span><span style="font-size: 12px;">influenced by awareness and understanding of emotions. This study investigated the relationship between </span><span style="font-size: 12px;">intuition and emotional intelligence among occupational therapists in mental health practice.<br /></span><div><b style="font-size: 12px;">Method:</b><span style="font-size: 12px;"> </span><br />We mailed a survey containing measures of cognitive style and of use of emotional competencies at work and demographic questions to 400 members of the national occupational therapy association; 134 occupational therapists responded.</div><div><b>Results:</b> <br />A moderate relationship was found between intuitive cognitive style and emotional intelligence. Experienced therapists scored higher on the use of emotional competencies at work and reported a preference for an intuitive cognitive style to a greater extent than novices.</div><div><b>Conclusion:</b>  <br />This study represents the first attempt to explore occupational therapists’ preferred cognitive style and self-reported emotional intelligence. Findings suggest that exploring emotions through reflective practice could enhance intuitive aspects of clinical reasoning.</div>