Abstract
The relationship of emotional intelligence (EI), leader self-efficacy (LSE), and OT experience was explored. EI was shown to improve with experience and is positively correlated to LSE. Practitioners develop leadership confidence inherently with experience.
Primary Author and Speaker: Tara S. Robinson
Leader self-efficacy (LSE) is a person’s perceived ability that they can exert leadership. Emotional intelligence (EI) relates to one’s ability to recognize/perceive emotions of oneself & others. Leaders with EI can problem solve & make decisions. The occupational therapy (OT) profession aligns with the principles of EI. This study explored the relationship of trait EI, LSE, and OT experience level with a non-experimental cross-sectional quantitative survey research design. The main research question was: What is the relationship between trait EI, according to the TEIQue-SF, leader self-efficacy, according to the LEQ, and experience level for OT students/OT practitioners within the U.S? The 100 participants who completed the survey were sampled with a convenience method, via an emailed survey. SPSS was used for data analysis. The Tukey post hoc test found significant differences between the OT student group & the OT group with the most experience. Differences were found in the areas of global trait EI & factor scores of emotionality, self-control & well-being. The sociability factor did not change significantly with experience. ANOVA results found LSE to not change with experience. A significant correlation was found in the OT student group for sociability/LSE. Sociability does not change with experience but correlates to one’s LSE. The Pearson correlation coefficient test found the most significant correlations within the most experienced group. Positive correlations were found between global trait EI/LSE, well-being/LSE, self-control/LSE, & sociability/LSE. OT practitioners inherently become confident in their leadership capabilities as they continue to gain experience. OT practitioners should be mindful of their well-being, self-control, and sociability levels while in the workplace as it correlates to their perceived leadership abilities. OT practitioners can inspire others within their workplace and should speak to these strengths to assume leadership roles.
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