How Much Emotional Intelligence Effect on Health Centers Performance? A Structural Equation Modeling Approach

Background: Emotional intelligence (EI) is very important factor to guide managers in a way that leads to access long and short-term organizational goals. The aim of this study was to detect how much emotional intelligence effect on health centers performance. Study design: This is a correlational/analytical study and due to providing some operational strategies for technical health managers and policy makers, it is an applied study. Methods: This study was conducted in 2016 and the population was technical health managers of city health centers in Hamadan Province, western Iran selected by census method. To assess the performance, applied the score that managers have gained in health deputy monitoring. EI measured by Shiring Siberia questionnaire. Data analysis implemented by SPSS software using multiple linear regression, Spearman correlation and Structure Equation Model (SEM). Results: Emotional intelligence of managers has a direct and significant impact on their performance (P=0.001), linear regression shows that an increment in the emotional intelligence score of managers, 0.718 units will be added to the performance score. Using multiple regression analysis, the severity of each dimension effect on performance were evaluated which awareness has greatest impact (P=0.001, B=0.017) and self-control has the weakest impact (P=0.014, B=-0.08) on performance. Conclusion: The level of Emotional intelligence and its aspects has a significant effect on the manager's performance. This fact demonstrates need to high attention of health top managers and decision-makers to enhance health managers EI skills.