Abstract
Introduction: Emotional intelligence (EI) is a key competency in the healthcare setting, particularly in nursing, where it influences academic performance, emotional well-being, and patient interactions. Previous studies suggest that sex may influence the development and expression of EI due to biological and sociocultural factors. Objective: To describe EI in undergraduate nursing students by examining the correlations among the dimensions of emotional perception, understanding, and regulation, and by analyzing significant differences between men and women. Method: A quantitative, cross-sectional, and analytical study was conducted with 106 students from a Mexican public university using non-probabilistic convenience sampling. The TMMS-24 scale was used to assess the three dimensions of EI, applying sex-specific cutoff points. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 26 through descriptive statistics and Spearman correlation analysis. Results: Women showed higher emotional perception, whereas men exhibited lower emotional attention, although with slightly higher levels of emotional regulation. Among men, emotional attention correlated with both emotional clarity and emotional repair, and emotional clarity was also associated with emotional repair. Among women, emotional attention was related to both emotional clarity and emotional repair, with the strongest correlation observed between clarity and repair. Conclusions: EI demonstrated a highly interrelated structure in both sexes, with differences observed in emotional perception and regulation. These findings underscore the need for gender-sensitive educational strategies that strengthen emotional understanding and regulation from the early stages of nursing education.
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