Investigating the Relationship Between Spiritual Health and Emotional Intelligence With Attitude Toward Smoking Among Nursing Students

Background: Young individuals, such as students, are threatened by the use of tobaccoproducts. Emotional intelligence and religiosity are protective factors against risky behaviors,such as smoking. This study investigates the relationship between emotional intelligence andspiritual health on nursing students’ attitudes toward smoking.Materials and Methods: This correlational-descriptive study was conducted for three monthswith the available sampling method on all qualified undergraduate nursing students in ۲۰۲۲. Atotal of ۲۸۳ nursing students willing to participate in the study completed the questionnaires.The data were analyzed using descriptive statistical methods, the Pearson correlationcoefficient, and linear regression in the SPSS software, version ۲۱.Results: The Mean±SD age of the students was ۲۲.۷۴±۳.۲۶ years. There was a positive andsignificant relationship between spiritual well-being and attitude toward smoking (r=۰.۳۵,P<۰.۰۰۱) and also between emotional intelligence and attitude toward smoking (r=۰.۲۶,P<۰.۰۰۱). The data from multivariate linear regression analysis indicated that among thedemographic information (spiritual well-being and emotional intelligence), spiritual wellbeing contributed more to explaining the attitude toward smoking (β=۰.۵۲, P<۰.۰۰۱).Conclusion: Based on the results of the present study, the attitude toward tobacco is relatedto various factors, such as age, history of smoking, having an addicted friend, emotionalintelligence, and spiritual well-being. Accordingly, by holding educational workshops,university officials can play an effective role in strengthening and developing the componentsof spiritual well-being and emotional intelligence to prevent students from smoking.