The study results of life environment influence on emotional quotient in children

Abstract

Background: Lead poisoning remains a major public health issue in developing countries. According to the study conducted in Mongolia, the lead content in children’s blood increased 16-fold between 1999 and 2005. Lead accumulates in the body through the living environment, drinking water, air and soil leading to symptoms such as increased negative emotions, easiness of anger issues, irritability, lack of attention, and mood swings. Lead levels are analyzed in various biological samples, including blood, blood products, plasma, bone, red blood cell protoporphyrin, teeth, urine, nails, and hair. Emotional quotient (EQ) encompasses self-awareness, management, activation, understanding, and interpersonal skills, and it develops throughout a person’s life. Our study aims to address the relation of children’s emotional quotient to lead level in a hair of children. Aim: To explore the influence of the life environment on the emotional quotient of children aged 8-15 in Ulaanbaatar Materials and Methods: In this study, 169 children aged 8-15 from various districts of Ulaanbaatar were involved. ICPMS was used to determine lead concentrations in hair samples from the participants. The Bar-On Emotional Quotient Inventory Youth Version (EQ-i) test, consisting of 60 questions across 7 groups, was used to assess emotional ability. Results:. Total of 169 children included in our study, 47.3% (80) lived at home, 52.7% (89) lived in apartments, 49.7% (84) were boys, 50.3% (85) were girls, and the average age was 11.91±2.13 years. The age and gender distribution of emotional competence was unevenly distributed when calculated using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov method (p=0.0001). Conclusion: Cronbach’s alpha reliability coefÏcient was acceptable. EQ-i test score in girls was significantly higher than in boys. In 61.5% (104) of our study participants, the mean hair lead level was 1.96±0.38 µg/g, which is 2-3 times elevated above age-matched level. Additionally, an increase in hair lead level in boys was associated with a decrease in interpersonal scale score