Physical activity and emotional intelligence among undergraduate students: a correlational study

Abstract Background Physical activity (PA) can be a mechanism that develops emotions. Emotional intelligence (EI) is related to significant public health and psychological benefits. However, there is little information about the relationships between PA and EI dimensions: emotional attention, clarit...

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Main Authors: Jorge Acebes-Sánchez, Ignacio Diez-Vega, Sara Esteban-Gonzalo, Gabriel Rodriguez-Romo
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2019-09-01
Series:BMC Public Health
Subjects:
Online Access:http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12889-019-7576-5
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author Jorge Acebes-Sánchez
Ignacio Diez-Vega
Sara Esteban-Gonzalo
Gabriel Rodriguez-Romo
author_facet Jorge Acebes-Sánchez
Ignacio Diez-Vega
Sara Esteban-Gonzalo
Gabriel Rodriguez-Romo
author_sort Jorge Acebes-Sánchez
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background Physical activity (PA) can be a mechanism that develops emotions. Emotional intelligence (EI) is related to significant public health and psychological benefits. However, there is little information about the relationships between PA and EI dimensions: emotional attention, clarity, and repair. This study examined the possible relationships between these variables in undergraduate students from Madrid. As a secondary aim, sex differences in PA domains and EI dimensions were examined. Methods A total of 2960 (21.34 ± 4.34 years) undergraduate students from Madrid (Spain) fulfilled the Trait Meta-Mood Scale (TMMS-24) and Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ). We used a MANOVA to compare EI and PA levels according to sex. Different linear regressions were conducted to calculate the PA and age prediction power based on EI. Results We found a significant association between EI dimensions and PA levels, although these relationships were small. Fully adjusted linear regression showed that sex and leisure-time PA (LTPA) were associated of emotional attention (r2 c = .025). Sex, age, and LTPA were associated of emotional repair (r2 c = .024). There were statistically significant differences in EI by sex (p ≤ .001; η2 p = .039), with higher scores in emotional attention for women (p ≤ .001) and emotional clarity (p ≤ .001) and repair (p ≤ .001) for men. PA levels differed according to sex (p ≤ .001; η2 p = .038). Men show higher scores in LTPA levels (p = .002) and occupational PA (p ≤ .001). Conclusions Undergraduate students with higher levels of LTPA showed a better score on EI, specifically in emotional attention and emotional repair. However, these associations and the predictive power of LTPA regarding emotional attention and emotional repair were weak. Men engaged in more LTPA and occupational PA and had higher emotional clarity and emotional repair than women. However, women had higher emotional attention.
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spelling doaj.art-c26b1da88c824b61bb0be92b93514a172022-12-21T19:43:49ZengBMCBMC Public Health1471-24582019-09-011911710.1186/s12889-019-7576-5Physical activity and emotional intelligence among undergraduate students: a correlational studyJorge Acebes-Sánchez0Ignacio Diez-Vega1Sara Esteban-Gonzalo2Gabriel Rodriguez-Romo3Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidad Francisco de Vitoria (UFV)Faculty of Sport Sciences, Universidad Europea de Madrid (UEM)Faculty of Biomedicine, Psychology Department, Universidad Europea de Madrid (UEM)Faculty of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences (INEF), Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM)Abstract Background Physical activity (PA) can be a mechanism that develops emotions. Emotional intelligence (EI) is related to significant public health and psychological benefits. However, there is little information about the relationships between PA and EI dimensions: emotional attention, clarity, and repair. This study examined the possible relationships between these variables in undergraduate students from Madrid. As a secondary aim, sex differences in PA domains and EI dimensions were examined. Methods A total of 2960 (21.34 ± 4.34 years) undergraduate students from Madrid (Spain) fulfilled the Trait Meta-Mood Scale (TMMS-24) and Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ). We used a MANOVA to compare EI and PA levels according to sex. Different linear regressions were conducted to calculate the PA and age prediction power based on EI. Results We found a significant association between EI dimensions and PA levels, although these relationships were small. Fully adjusted linear regression showed that sex and leisure-time PA (LTPA) were associated of emotional attention (r2 c = .025). Sex, age, and LTPA were associated of emotional repair (r2 c = .024). There were statistically significant differences in EI by sex (p ≤ .001; η2 p = .039), with higher scores in emotional attention for women (p ≤ .001) and emotional clarity (p ≤ .001) and repair (p ≤ .001) for men. PA levels differed according to sex (p ≤ .001; η2 p = .038). Men show higher scores in LTPA levels (p = .002) and occupational PA (p ≤ .001). Conclusions Undergraduate students with higher levels of LTPA showed a better score on EI, specifically in emotional attention and emotional repair. However, these associations and the predictive power of LTPA regarding emotional attention and emotional repair were weak. Men engaged in more LTPA and occupational PA and had higher emotional clarity and emotional repair than women. However, women had higher emotional attention.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12889-019-7576-5Emotional intelligencePhysical activityGPAQTMMS-24Undergraduate students
spellingShingle Jorge Acebes-Sánchez
Ignacio Diez-Vega
Sara Esteban-Gonzalo
Gabriel Rodriguez-Romo
Physical activity and emotional intelligence among undergraduate students: a correlational study
BMC Public Health
Emotional intelligence
Physical activity
GPAQ
TMMS-24
Undergraduate students
title Physical activity and emotional intelligence among undergraduate students: a correlational study
title_full Physical activity and emotional intelligence among undergraduate students: a correlational study
title_fullStr Physical activity and emotional intelligence among undergraduate students: a correlational study
title_full_unstemmed Physical activity and emotional intelligence among undergraduate students: a correlational study
title_short Physical activity and emotional intelligence among undergraduate students: a correlational study
title_sort physical activity and emotional intelligence among undergraduate students a correlational study
topic Emotional intelligence
Physical activity
GPAQ
TMMS-24
Undergraduate students
url http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12889-019-7576-5
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