TITLE:
Emotional Intelligence as an Invisible Neurocognitive Shield for Resilience and Performance in Healthcare Professionals
AUTHORS:
Abílio Lourenço, Sabina Valente, Maria Olímpia Paiva
KEYWORDS:
Emotional Intelligence, Burnout in Healthcare Professionals, Psychological Resilience, Emotional Regulation, Healthcare Workforce, Amygdala-Prefrontal Cortex
JOURNAL NAME:
Psychology,
Vol.17 No.10,
October
13,
2026
ABSTRACT: Healthcare professionals face unprecedented levels of burnout, compromising patient safety, quality of care, and the sustainability of health systems worldwide. In the post-pandemic context, this crisis has intensified, underscoring the urgent need for effective emotional regulation and resilience mechanisms. Emotional intelligence has emerged as a critical, although still underutilized, factor in adapting to high-pressure clinical environments. An interpretive critical review integrated 28 seminal studies published between 2019 and 2025, including recent research available online ahead of print. A critical thematic analysis framework was applied, prioritizing longitudinal and mixed-methods studies with high empirical rigor and transcultural relevance. Neurocognitive findings were integrated as a central analytical axis, focusing on amygdala-prefrontal functional connectivity as a proposed pathway for emotional regulation under stress. EI predicts resilience, moderates the effects of emotional labor, and is associated with lower burnout across professional roles. Neurocognitive evidence offers a complementary framework, but does not directly link amygdala-prefrontal connectivity with EI, burnout, and clinical performance in the same healthcare samples. Based on an interpretive synthesis of separate professional-specific literatures—rather than direct cross-professional comparative studies—distinct patterns are proposed: physicians appear to benefit particularly from cognitive mastery of EI; nurses from empathic responsiveness under pressure; and support and administrative staff from emotional-regulation training. These profiles should be considered exploratory hypotheses pending direct comparative validation. Consistent findings across the United States, Europe, Asia, and Latin America reinforce the transcultural relevance of these associations. Neuroscientific findings further support the amygdala-prefrontal cortex circuit as a fundamental basis of emotional regulation under stress. EI can be conceptualized as an “Invisible Neurocognitive Shield”, representing essential resilience infrastructure within health systems. The EI-Resilience-Performance model integrates biological, psychological, and organizational dimensions and offers direct clinical applicability. Evidence-based micro-interventions may help mitigate burnout and promote the long-term sustainability of the healthcare workforce.