Training of emotional intelligence in depressive inpatients.

Deficits in emotional intelligence are possible factors in provoking and maintaining depressive symptoms in patients with major depressive disorder. Aim of the present study was to explore the effects of a training of emotional intelligence based on the model of Salovey and Mayer on emotional competencies and depressive symptoms in depressive inpatients over six weeks (tpost) and twelve months (tfollow-up). 171 depressive inpatients (men = 67, women = 104) were randomly assigned to either a training of emotional intelligence together with treatment as usual (TAU) or TAU alone. Participants of the training group showed significant positive changes in their emotional competencies after six weeks of therapy (Cohens d = 0.43-0.49); in contrast, they showed no differences in depressive symptomatology compared to the control group. In the follow-up,the patients of the control group declined significantly in their depressive symptoms while the training group maintained or even improved. The acquired emotional competencies may facilitate the use of adaptive coping strategies as well as of social support in stressful situations. In conclusion, this training of emotional intelligence enhances emotional competencies, in the long term it may prevent relapse in depressive episodes.