Evaluation of moral distress and moral intelligence among medical residents

Abstract

Background: Medical ethics is necessary in the medical field to protect patient rights, enhance professional conduct, manage complex situations, prevent malpractice, and advance healthcare policy. Aim: This study aimed to examine the levels of moral distress and moral intelligence among medical residents and explore the relationship between these two concepts. Methods: This descriptive-analytical cross-sectional study was performed on 221 medical residents in 2021. The participants were recruited by census sampling method. Data were collected by two standard questionnaires, including Corley’s moral distress scale (2001) and Lennick and Kiel’s moral intelligence scale (2005). Statistical analyses were conducted using both parametric and non-parametric methods. All analyses were performed by SPSS-22 software. Results: Of participants, 140 (63.4%) were non-surgical and 81 (36.6%) were surgical assistants. Moral distress was significantly higher in surgical than non-surgical disciplines, (P<0.05). Further, according to the moral distress classification, 51.8% of surgical residents and 15.8% of non-surgical residents had severe moral distress. Moral intelligence was also higher in surgical than in non-surgical disciplines, but the difference was not statistically significant (P>0.05), and moral intelligence was moderate to high. There was a significantly negative correlation between moral intelligence (and its four subscales) and moral distress (P <0.001, r =-0.410). Conclusion: The results showed high moral distress and an inverse correlation between moral distress and moral intelligence among medical residents. The study highlights the importance of addressing issues related to moral distress and moral intelligence in medical education and training programs