Emotional intelligence and the occupational
Opinion
therapist
Jacqui McKenna 1 and Jo-anne Mellson 2
Key words:
Emotional intelligence,
occupational therapy,
self and service user
management.
1 Senior
Lecturer/Programme Leader,
Directorate of Occupational Therapy, School
of Health Sciences, University of Salford,
Salford, Manchester.
2 Senior Lecturer, Directorate of Occupational
Therapy, School of Health Sciences, University
of Salford, Salford, Manchester.
Corresponding author: Jacqui McKenna,
Senior Lecturer/Programme Leader,
Allerton Building, Frederick Road, Salford,
Manchester M6 6PU.
Email: J.M.McKenna@salford.ac.uk
Reference: McKenna J, Mellson J (2013)
Emotional intelligence and the occupational
therapist. British Journal of Occupational
Therapy, 76(9), 427–430.
DOI: 10.4276/030802213X13782044946382
© The College of Occupational Therapists Ltd.
Submitted: 22 November 2012.
Accepted: 16 May 2013.
Downloaded from bjo.sagepub.com at Middle East Technical Univ on March 7, 2016
Mayer and Salovey (1997) have described emotional intelligence as the understanding,
perception, use and management of emotions of self and others. Emotional
intelligence skills mediate emotional labour and support development of professional
and therapeutic relationships, fostering the application of person-centred, holistic
principles (McKenna 2007). The occupational therapist’s ability to understand,
mediate and manage the emotions of self and others undoubtedly has an impact
on their effectiveness (Mayer and Cobb 2000), and on their ability to engage with
service users, carers, colleagues and students. This opinion piece explores links
between ability in emotional intelligence and the competent occupational therapist.
Emotional intelligence
The importance of the interplay of cognition, affect and motivation in human
functioning has been established for some time. Emotional intelligence (EI)
is a relatively new model of intelligence, drawing in part on Gardner’s (1983)
conceptualisation of multiple intelligences, and specifically intrapersonal and
interpersonal elements of personal intelligence. EI considers the extent to
which individuals can recognise, understand, process, manage, monitor and
utilise emotional information (McKenna 2007). Over the last 20 years, the
concept of EI has been broadly accepted and has a developing evidence base
in psychology, health care, leadership, management and education; it also
features in the National Curriculum for England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Critique of EI focuses on measurement tools, and refinement of its conceptual
factor structure, rather than debating the concept’s accepted validity.
To date, EI has been neglected by occupational therapy and the emotional
demands of occupational therapy practice have not been well explored; a
consideration of EI’s application to current, holistic, person-centred practice
has become essential. It is timely, given the current drive to develop a ‘culture
of compassionate care’ (Department of Health [DH] 2013), that our profes-
sion discuss the concept of EI and its application to emotion management
in relation to self, service users, colleagues and students — regardless of the
service in which the therapist operates.
There is evidence to support the belief that the single most important factor
in success, effectiveness and superior performance for healthcare professionals
is emotional intelligence (Watkin 2000, Bailey et al 2011).
Applying EI in occupational therapy
EI in the context of holistic, person-centred practice
and the therapeutic relationship
The humanistic philosophy of occupational therapy necessitates the appli-
cation of holistic, person-centred principles and practice. This is supported
by the College of Occupational Therapists’ [COT] Code of Ethics and Pro-
fessional Conduct (2010), which requires that respect and personal autonomy
is maintained for the service user and that the therapist establish and sustain
professional relationships, (Health and Care Professions Council [HCPC] 2013).
British Journal of Occupational Therapy September 2013 76(9) 427
Emotional intelligence and the occupational therapist
The importance of a meaningful and collaborative relation-
ship is fundamental to individualised and culturally sensitive
practice (Cole and McLean 2003) in that it serves to enhance
interventions and outcomes, and supports efficacy, com-
pliance and satisfaction (Weng et al 2011). True rapport is
possible only when communication is open and honest and
the therapist is able to attend, read non-verbal cues and express
emotions clearly and genuinely. This facilitates an effective,
collaborative communication process that supports holistic
practice (Lloyd and Maas 1992, COT 2010).
The emotionally intelligent occupational therapist is warm,
genuine, motivated, optimistic and persistent (Mayer and
Cobb 2000), able to understand and manage the emotions
of self and others. They are able to employ the therapeutic
use of self as a dynamic process aimed at engaging the indi-
vidual in a meaningful and effective affiliation (Lloyd and
Maas 1992), supporting person-centred practice. Emotional
intelligence abilities can be facilitated within a collaborative
relationship which supports honest communication, expres-
sion, trust and empowerment and can facilitate an adaptive,
creative and flexible approach to problem framing and solving
(Mayer and Salovey 1997).
EI and self-management
The value of emotional self-management abilities is key to
the occupational therapist’s practice. Through developing EI,
an individual facilitates the social, emotional and behavioural
skills central to functioning well in society (Hawkey 2006).
Bailey et al (2011) found that management of emotional
labour was achieved via the development of EI abilities that
included emotional awareness, relationship building skills and
coping mechanisms. Watkin (2000) postulated that targeted
development of self-awareness, self-management and social
skills can be used to increase EI, and to support success and
leadership ability.
Activities aimed at facilitating these abilities are often
included in occupational therapy training programmes. These
might include:
■ Self-awareness development and reflection.
■ Social awareness and social skills development using
experiential learning exercises, role-play and real-play
(developing communication, assertiveness, empathy
and therapeutic relationship development skills).
■ Self-management and management of others (stress or
anger management training, self-expression and devel-
oping coping, flexibility and conflict management skills).
■ Group working skills.
Goleman (1996) have claimed that EI can be developed
and that competence facilitates the expression of feelings,
abilities in handling stress, building of emotional resilience
and self-protection. Telford et al (2006) suggested that EI
might be a protective factor for both physical and mental
health, promoting and protecting wellbeing and emotional
functioning. Ciarrochi et al (2002) claimed that EI mediates
the relationship between stress and mental health and that
428 British Journal of Occupational Therapy September 2013 76(9)
Downloaded from bjo.sagepub.com at Middle East Technical Univ on March 7, 2016
higher levels of EI ability correlate inversely with those of stress
and depression. The occupational therapist will encounter
difficult situations, and needs to manage these effectively:
therapists deal with individuals facing challenging and trau-
matic experiences and must manage their own emotional
responses while engaging people in an effective therapeutic
alliance. The ability to adapt practice to meet the changing
needs of individuals, groups or communities is clearly expressed
in the HCPC Standards of Proficiency (2013).
Weisinger (1998) asserted that high self-awareness results
in secure personal and professional decisions, ensuring that
occupational therapists are fit for practice and that health
issues do not have an impact on performance (HCPC 2012).
Being able to understand one’s own emotional experience
in order to promote intellectual growth is specifically iden-
tified within the framework of EI and is linked to success
in the workplace (Mayer and Salovey 1997), and to reducing
the likelihood of burnout (Weng et al 2011). Enabling others
— a fundamental role for the occupational therapist —
requires reflective monitoring of emotions in both oneself
and others, facilitated by EI ability.
EI in relation to interaction with,
and management of, service users
The therapist’s ability to utilise emotional perception and
understanding is vital in the recognition, control and man-
agement of the emotions being experienced by service users.
The therapeutic relationship with each service user is central,
and EI abilities enable sensitivity in responding to, and in
the understanding of, emotions, supporting effective emotional
management. The service user’s emotional state is often
impacted by the anxiety generated by their situation and /or
environment, and the therapist needs to be able to understand
the service user’s thoughts and feelings in order to be able to
manage the person’s emotions and meet their needs. Empathy
and communication skills are required to ensure that the
service user is engaged effectively, resulting in efficacious
intervention: the service user’s experience is positive as the
result of an empathetic interaction and the emotional, intel-
lectual and personal growth of the therapist is also supported
— providing the latter with greater confidence and capability
(Weng et al 2011). The development of EI in medics through
the utilisation of exercises that increase emotional under-
standing and management, motivation and interpersonal
effectiveness is discussed by Boylan and Loughrey (2007).
EI and interaction with, and
management of, professional
colleagues
The HCPC Standards of Proficiency (2013) require the occupa-
tional therapist to ‘build and sustain professional relationships
as both an independent practitioner and collaboratively as

a member of a team’. Effective teamwork and collaboration
is essential and the occupational therapist needs to plan to
maximise time and efficiency. While there are always col-
leagues with whom it is difficult to work, the therapist must
manage their own emotions and those of others in order to
function professionally, contributing to effective team work-
ing and developing confidence, self-management and
leadership skills. EI skills can facilitate adaptive problem
solving, helping to frame problems and use creativity and
flexibility in solution finding, while respecting one’s own
internal emotional experience and the emotional experience
of others (Mayer and Salovey 1997, Weisinger 1998). Evidence
supports that strong leadership skills are linked to high EI
(Weisinger 1998) and that people with high EI scores are able
to better manage relationships between colleagues, through
demonstrating a high level of inter- and intra-personal skills
(Goleman 1996, Weisinger 1998). According to Weng et al
(2011), staff members with higher EI levels were more
likely to be satisfied with their work.
Further research
An ethically approved pilot study was conducted to establish
proof of concept and a feasible data collection procedure,
with approval granted by the College Research Ethics Panel
of the University of Salford. The EI scores of the students
from three different programmes within the School of Health
Sciences, University of Salford were investigated. Statistical
analysis identified differences in EI traits between health
and non healthcare student groups, with the occupational
therapy group, who utilise holistic, person-centred principles,
scoring highest.
Work towards publication of the pilot study is continuing
but these initial findings are pertinent, indicating a potential
need for further investigation of the concept of EI and its
relevance to the occupational therapist.
The value of nurturing the emotionally intelligent indi-
vidual, and the emotionally intelligent organisation, has been
established (Ciarrochi et al 2002). The authors suggest
further exploration and application of EI within occupational
therapy is timely. The occupational therapy programme at
the University of Salford intends to utilise EI scores as part
of its move towards value-based recruitment. The authors
suggest that measurement of EI in applicants to occupational
therapy training could prove invaluable, since high EI levels
have been correlated to higher levels of professional perfor-
mance, self-management, leadership, coping and wellbeing
(Por et al 2011,Weng et al 2011).
Further exploration of EI scores in a longitudinal study
measuring EI on entry to the programme, at key points during
the programme and at completion is planned, to consider
if EI is developed by occupational therapy training and to
identify which activities might support the development of EI
abilities in student occupational therapists. Following ethical
approval, the authors have launched a United Kingdom (UK)-
wide survey of the Trait EI levels of occupational therapists,
Downloaded from bjo.sagepub.com at Middle East Technical Univ on March 7, 2016
Jacqui McKenna and Jo-anne Mellson
in order to characterise EI across the profession and compare
scores from a range of occupational therapy practice settings.
This new study is the first national survey of EI in occupational
therapists, for which the College Research Ethics Panel at the
University of Salford granted ethical approval in March 2012.
Previously, a similar survey of EI in UK Radiographers was
conducted at The University of Salford (Mackay et al 2012).
Key messages
■ The application of emotional intelligence abilities supports the competent
occupational therapist in terms of self-awareness and self-management,
management of emotional labour, emotional competence and in the
leadership and management of others.
■ The concept of EI as a set of desirable abilities that can be developed in
the practitioner fits well within the remit of current occupational therapy
practice (McKenna 2007).
■ Exploration of EI abilities and their impact on occupational therapy
practice may support the identification of training needs for students
and practitioners.
References
Bailey C, Murphy R, Porock D (2011) Professional tears: developing emotional
intelligence around death and dying in emergency work. Journal of Clinical
Nursing, 20(23-24), 3364–72.
Boylan O, Loughrey C (2007) Developing emotional intelligence in GP trainers
and registrars. Education for Primary Care, 18(6), 745–48.
Ciarrochi J, Deane FP, Anderson S (2002) Emotional intelligence moderates the
relationship between stress and mental health. Personality and Individual
Differences, 32(2), 197–209.
Cole MB, McLean V (2003) Therapeutic relationships re-defined. Occupational
Therapy in Mental Health, 19(2), 33.
College of Occupational Therapists (2010) College of Occupational Therapists:
code of ethics and professional conduct. London: COT.
Department of Health (2013) Developing a vision and strategy for nursing,
midwifery and care-givers. London: Department of Health – The NHS
Constitution.
Gardner H (1983) Frames of mind: the theory of multiple intelligences. New York:
Basic Books.
Goleman D (1996) Emotional intelligence – why it can matter more than IQ.
London: Bloomsbury.
Hawkey K (2006) Emotional intelligence and mentoring in pre-service teacher
education: a literature review. Mentoring and Tutoring, 14(2), 137–47.
Health and Care Professions Council (2013) Standards of proficiency:
occupational therapists. London: HCPC. Available at: http://www.hpc-
uk.org/publications/standards/index.asp?id=45 Accessed 04.07.13.
Health and Care Professions Council (2012) Standards of conduct,
performance, and ethics. London: HCPC. Available at: http://www.hpc-
uk.org/publications/standards/index.asp?id=38 Accessed 04.07.13.
Lloyd C, Maas F (1992) Interpersonal skills and occupational therapy. British
Journal of Occupational Therapy, 55(10), 379–82.
Mackay SJ, Hogg P, Cooke G, Baker RD, Dawkes T (2012) A UK-wide study of
trait emotional intelligence within the radiography profession. Radiography,
18(3), 166–71.
Mayer JD, Cobb CD (2000) Educational policy on emotional intelligence –
does it make sense? Educational Psychology Review, 12(2), 163–83.
British Journal of Occupational Therapy September 2013 76(9) 429
Emotional intelligence and the occupational therapist
Mayer JD, Salovey P (1997) What is emotional intelligence? In: P Salovey,
D Sluyter, eds. Emotional development and emotional intelligence:
implications for educators. New York: Basic Books.
McKenna J (2007) Emotional intelligence training in adjustment to physical
disability and illness. International Journal of Therapy and Rehabilitation,
14(12), 551–56.
Por J, Barriball L, Fitzpatrick J, Roberts J (2011) Emotional intelligence: its
relationship to stress, coping, wellbeing and professional performance
in nursing students. Nurse Education Today, 31(8), 855–60.
430 British Journal of Occupational Therapy September 2013 76(9)
Downloaded from bjo.sagepub.com at Middle East Technical Univ on March 7, 2016
Telford K, Kralik D, Koch T (2006) Acceptance and denial: implications for
people adapting to chronic illness: literature review. Journal of Advanced
Nursing, 55(4), 457–64.
Watkin C (2000) Developing emotional intelligence. International Journal
of Selection and Assessment, 8(2), 89–92.
Weisinger H (1998) Emotional intelligence at work. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Weng HC, Hung CM, Liu YT, Cheng YJ, Cheng-Yo Y, Chang CC, Huang CK (2011)
Associations between emotional intelligence and doctor burnout, job
satisfaction and patient satisfaction. Medical Education (45)8, 835–42.