The Relationship Between Physical Activity and Emotional Intelligence in College Students: The Mediating Role of Self-Efficacy.

Kun Wang,Jiong Luo,Tingran Zhang,Ying Yang,Yiyi Ouyang,Bin Liu

doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00967

Kun Wang, Jiong Luo + Show 4 more

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https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00967

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Abstract

BackgroundCollege students are an inexhaustible driving force for social development, and college students with good physical and psychological qualities can better adapt to changes in the external environment. The purpose of this study was to explore the intrinsic relationship of physical activity and emotional intelligence among college students and to determine the primary role of self-efficacy in their relationships.MethodsEight hundred thirty-five college students from two comprehensive universities in Southwest China, whose average age was 20.13 ± 1.06 years old, were investigated using the Physical Activity Rating Scale (PARS-3), Chinese Emotional Intelligence Scale (EIS), General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSES), and other measuring tools. SPSS 22.0 software was used to analyze and process the data with Independent sample t-test, One-way ANOVA, Pearson correlation analysis, and regression analysis, and Amos 21.0 software was used to build the structural equation model.Results(1) In terms of physical activity amount, self-efficacy, and emotional intelligence, male college students scored higher than female students. Furthermore, college students in humanities and social sciences had lower self-efficacy. In contrast, senior students had the lowest levels of physical activity and self-efficacy, and there was no discipline or grade distribution difference in emotional intelligence. (2) Physical activity amount was positively correlated with emotional intelligence (r = 0.24, P < 0.001) and with self-efficacy (r = 0.26, P < 0.001), and self-efficacy was positively correlated with emotional intelligence in college students (r = 0.18, P < 0.001). (3) Self-efficacy played a partial mediating role between physical activity and emotional intelligence in college students (ES = 0.06).ConclusionRegular physical activity can improve the self-efficacy and emotional intelligence of college students, and effectively promote the physical and mental development of students.

Highlights

In the 1990s, the concept of emotional intelligence (EI) became a popular topic in psychology research. Salovey and Mayer (1990) and Mayer and Salovey (1997) proposed that emotional intelligence was the expression and evaluation of the emotions of oneself and others, the ability to regulate the emotions of oneself and others, and the ability to use emotions to solve practical problems
Results: (1) In terms of physical activity amount, self-efficacy, and emotional intelligence, male college students scored higher than female students
Senior students had the lowest levels of physical activity and self-efficacy, and there was no discipline or grade distribution difference in emotional intelligence

Summary

Introduction

In the 1990s, the concept of emotional intelligence (EI) became a popular topic in psychology research. Salovey and Mayer (1990) and Mayer and Salovey (1997) proposed that emotional intelligence was the expression and evaluation of the emotions of oneself and others, the ability to regulate the emotions of oneself and others, and the ability to use emotions to solve practical problems. Studies showed that emotional intelligence has an important impact on individual well-being (Austin et al, 2005), academic achievement (O’Boyle et al, 2011), and physical health (Martins et al, 2010). College students are in a critical period of their lives, establishing a correct world outlook, outlook on life, and values They are prone to feel pressure from many sources such as their learning, growth, and employment, so they are often prone to internal conflicts when dealing with emotions and interpersonal relationships (Feng and Zhan, 2015). College students with good emotional intelligence may better perceive the internal and external environment and guide their behaviors to improve their ability to cope with various challenges (Xiao and Hou, 2017). The purpose of this study was to explore the intrinsic relationship of physical activity and emotional intelligence among college students and to determine the primary role of self-efficacy in their relationships

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