Abstract
The primary purpose of this study was to determine if there is a relationship between physical therapist emotional intelligence as measured by the Mayer-Salovey-Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test and patients' overall satisfaction as measured by the Physical Therapy Patient Satisfaction Questionnaire. Variables of secondary interest such as Experiential Intelligence, Strategic Emotional Intelligence and branch scores measures (Perceiving Emotions, Facilitating Thought, Understanding Emotions, and Managing Emotions) were also examined as measured by the Mayer-Salovey-Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test. Patient participant data (n=127) was obtained via anonymous survey. Physical therapist participant data was obtained confidentially for nine subjects via an Emotional Intelligence inventory online. The results of this research demonstrated no statistically significant correlation between the relationship of physical therapists' emotional intelligence, patients' and overall satisfaction, two area scores, and four branch scores. A statistically significant correlation was found between patients' sex and overall satisfaction. Additionally, physical therapists scored higher than normative data in the realm of Strategic Intelligence. Physical therapist may have scored higher in this area because people with higher strategic skills may be attracted to professions which involve social or interpersonal skills. This area may have been developed post graduation due to the emotionally diverse environment of a physical therapy clinic.