Exploring Gender Differences in Emotional Intelligence Variables on Stress Habituation During High Intensity Trauma Simulation Training

This pilot project explored the relationship between emotional intelligence variables on the habituation process for military medical students involved in a high stress trauma simulation exercise. Identifying training differences would allow for more targeted training and improve learning and performance outcomes.

 

Methods or Case Description: Second year Rocky Vista University military medical students completed the Intensive Surgical and Trauma Skills Course in San Diego, CA. Throughout the week, 50 increasingly intense mass casualty incident scenarios were simulated in Emergency and Operating Rooms. Throughout the course, salivary cortisol was measured as an indicator of stress response and habituation. Students completed the Emotional Quotient-Inventory 2.0, developed by Multi-Health Systems Inc. before and after the course. Emotional Intelligence inventory was correlated with varying levels of habituation throughout the exercise.

Outcomes: Greater habituation was found in females with a greater sense of reality testing (p < .01), impulse control (p=.029) and stronger sense of assertiveness (r=.621, p=.031) and in males who maintained a higher sense of independence (r=.545, p< .01). Unexpectedly, males experienced significantly increased levels of self-perception (p=.014), self-regard (p=.032), and self-awareness (p < .01), while females demonstrated a significant decrease in their decision making (p < .01).

Conclusion: Medical simulation training exercise coupled with high stress training is essential and effective for learning and performance improvement. Engaging in high stress ED and OR mass casualty scenarios may improve the habituation process and result in greater learning outcomes and individual performance. The outcomes of this project offer insight into targeting improved training for personnel in high stress simulation environments, with emphasis on gender differences.