Comparison of self-control and sociability capability of medical students: A multi-year study in Bali, Indonesia

Introduction: Emotional intelligence (EI) is often defined as the ability to perceive, express, understand, and manage emotions and consists of several components. The ability to identify and control one's emotions, including self-control and sociability is well-known as the component of EI. Self-control ability can be used as a predictor of symptoms arising from mental instability, ranging from anxiety to depression, among medical students. The higher self-control can benefit medical students due to its positive correlation with academic achievement and clinical skills. This study aims to explore the association between self control with sociability among medical undergraduates. Method: This cross-sectional study was conducted in the Faculty of Medicine, Udayana University, from August until October 2023. It compared the self-control and sociability capability of first, second, third, and fourth-year medical students at Udayana University. The data was collected using the Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire-Short Form (TEIQue-SF). Data analysis was carried out using SPSS ver. 25. Result: This research collected 312 samples of 1st – 4th year medical students. The self-control dimension showed a fluctuation trend of self-control during medical student, where the highest was observed in the 3rd year (26,83±4,06) and then slightly decrease in 4th year (25,79±3,90). The Same result also observed regarding sociability skill, where there was an uptrend from the baseline 20,50±3,32 in 1st year and 21,12±3,65 in 4th year medical student. Still, it was also no significant differences (p>0.05).  Post-hoc analysis of the overall level of emotional intelligence as assessed by the self-control and sociability dimension showed no significant association with different grades (p<0.005). Conclusion: Self-control and sociability dimension showed that there was no significant association.