Emotional intelligence in suicidal and non-suicidal remitted patients with schizophrenia and bipolar affective disorder: A comparative study

Pages: 1629-1635
Minkesh Chowdwary, Basudeb Das, Masroor Jahan, and Tulika Ghosh (Department of Psychology, Shree Narayan Singh College, Motihari, East Champaran, Bihar)

Literature suggests that the rate of suicide in psychiatric disorders is 20 times higher in comparison to general population. The rate of suicide among bipolar affective disorder and schizophrenia has been found to be 8-10%. Several protective factors like emotional intelligence have been identified against suicide. The present study aimed to examine the relationship between emotional intelligence and suicidality among suicidal and non-suicidal remitted patients with schizophrenia and bipolar affective disorder and to compare these factors across both groups. The present study was cross-sectional hospital based study in which 40 remitted Bipolar Affective Disorder patients and 40 remitted Schizophrenia patients with or without past history of suicide were selected through purposive sampling from outpatient department of Central Institute of Psychiatry, Kanke, Ranchi, Jharkhand. The patients were screened out by using PANSS, HRSD, YMRS scores and decision of treating psychiatrist. After taking informed consent, socio-demographic and clinical details were gathered by using socio-demographic and clinical data sheet. Further, Mangal Emotional Intelligence Inventory was administered up on all the patients. It was found that the schizophrenia patients scored significantly low on emotional intelligence in comparison to BPAD patients. Patient with past history of suicide scored significantly low on emotional intelligence in comparison of patients without past history of suicide. Emotional intelligence was found to be positively correlated with age of illness onset, education and was negatively correlated with suicidality.