Affectivity, Emotional Labor, Emotional Exhaustion, and Emotional Intelligence in Coaching

Abstract

This study investigated the relationship among affectivity, emotional labor strategies, and emotional exhaustion, and the moderating effect of emotional intelligence in that relationship. There were 430 NCAA Division I coaches who completed questionnaires measuring affectivity, the forms of emotional labor, emotional exhaustion, and emotional intelligence, which were modified to fit the coaching context. The result indicated that positive affectivity predicted 3 forms of emotional labor. In addition, coaches’ surface acting and genuine expression significantly predicted their emotional exhaustion. Furthermore, emotional intelligence moderated the relationship between surface acting and emotional exhaustion. These results reveal the important role of emotional labor on coaches’ well-being.