Introduction

The importance of consistent physical activity has been extensively studied and established in prior research (1). Numerous studies have explored the connection between physical activity and various psychological aspects, including mental toughness, mental health indicators like anxiety and depression, bodily distress, social adjustment, mortality, and health-related quality of life (2,3,4,5,7). Additionally, emotions have been found to significantly influence sports performance (8, 9) and the levels of physical activity (11). While emotions are often considered momentary, researchers have also noted a more consistent, underlying emotional nature in individuals (9).

The concept of 'Emotional Intelligence' (EI), introduced by Goleman (1995) (10), has gained considerable attention across various research areas due to its potential impact on human performance, relationships, and overall well-being (13). In the context of leisure-time physical activity, motivation plays a vital role in sustaining engagement (4), and social interactions, such as gym buddies or fitness trainers, often influence individuals' behaviour, which can be partially guided by emotional intelligence.

Recent evidence suggests that Emotional Intelligence significantly affects sport performance (14) and physical activity levels (15). Understanding the operationalization of this concept in these contexts is crucial for practitioners seeking evidence-based interventions to improve sport performance or exercise adherence. While previous studies have examined emotional intelligence dimensions in relation to various health components and behaviours (6), most have focused on general Emotional Intelligence concerning physical activity. However, given the limited research on the link between physical activity and trait emotional intelligence, this study aims to address this gap.

Methods and Procedures

Sample and Variables

240 female adolescents were recruited from the different private and government schools to participate in the study. They were given two questionnaires: Physical Activity Questionnaire (Adolescents) to gauge their levels of physical activity, and TEIQue (Short Form) (21) to measure

for Sociability, 4.98±1.31 for Emotionality, and 4.63±0.74 for Global Trait Emotional Intelligence.

Table 2: Descriptive statistics of PA levels and Trait Emotional intelligence among female adolescents

* Indicates significant at 0.05 levels

Table 2 reveals the associations between Physical Activity Levels and Overall Trait Emotional Intelligence, as well as its individual subscales: Well-Being (r = 0.41, p < 0.05), Self-Control (r = 0.63, p < 0.05), Sociability (r = 0.35, p < 0.05), Emotionality (r = 0.27, p < 0.05), and Global Trait Emotional Intelligence (r = 0.67, p < 0.05). The data clearly demonstrates significant positive correlations between Physical Activity Levels and all the subscales, namely Well-Being, Self-Control, Sociability, Emotionality, and Global Trait Emotional Intelligence.

Figure 1: Association between Physical activity levels and subscale Well-Being

correlations observed between physical activity levels and the Global Trait Emotional Intelligence and its sub-variables. A high correlation was found between physical activity levels and Global trait emotional intelligence along with the sub-variable Self-control. However, other sub-variables showed weak to moderate correlation with the physical activity levels.

Despite the relationships being quite weak in selected sub-variables, this study aligns with previous research indicating that higher trait emotional intelligence is linked to greater levels of physical activity and positive attitudes towards exercise. For instance, in a study focusing on gym-users, Solanki and Lane (2010) (15) found that possessing a high global trait emotional intelligence was associated with more optimistic beliefs regarding exercise's role in regulating mood. Another study on male university students revealed almost similar results (20). On the other hand, Saklofske et al. (2007) (16), in their investigation on undergraduate students, did not find a direct association between trait emotional intelligence and optimistic attitude towards exercise, but it was associated with positive exercise behaviour. Similar findings were observed in another study involving undergraduate students (16). Two other studies detected a positive correlation between trait emotional intelligence and exercise consistency (17, 18). Similarly, another study found that individuals who achieved the optimal levels of physical activity displayed higher scores in trait emotional intelligence compared to those who did not meet the activity guidelines. However, even those who were insufficiently active still showed higher trait emotional intelligence scores than individuals who were entirely inactive (19).

To gain a clearer understanding of the relationship between these two variables, further research with a larger sample size and considering both genders is needed. Moreover, a comparative study may be conducted among private and government school students to explore the association between physical activity levels and trait emotional intelligence.

Conclusion

In nutshell, our findings shed light on the importance of physical activity in nurturing emotional intelligence among female adolescents.