Linking Emotional Intelligence, Physical Activity and Aggression among Undergraduates

Examining correlates of aggression and mediating effect of psychological distress between exposure to media violence and aggression in lebanese adults

BACKGROUND

Violent media is the most consumed type of media in Lebanon. Many studies have linked exposure to media violence to increased aggression and psychological distress. As Lebanon is going through socio-political turmoil, we aimed to [1] explore the correlates of aggression (i.e., sociodemographic factors, BMI, loneliness, social competence, and psychological distress) in a sample of Lebanese adults from the general population, and [2] to examine the mediating effect of psychological distress in the association between exposure to media violence and aggression in this sample.

METHODOLOGY

Adults were recruited through online convenience sampling. We employed scales to assess content-based media exposure (C-ME), aggression (BPAQ-SF), psychological distress (DASS-8), loneliness (JGLS), and perceived social competence (PSCS).

RESULTS

Exposure to media violence was associated with all four aggression subtypes (verbal, physical, hostility, and anger). Psychological distress partially mediated all these associations; higher exposure to media violence was significantly associated with more psychological distress, which was significantly associated with higher levels of all types of aggression. Moreover, higher exposure to media violence was significantly associated with higher levels of all types of aggression.

CONCLUSION

In the sociopolitical context of Lebanon, violent media could be considered a public hazard. Psychological distress likely potentiates the association between exposure to violent media and aggression. Future research should focus on determining what components of psychological distress underpin this mediation.

The interplay between academic performance, emotional intelligence, and self-concept as predictors of violent behavior in higher education: a multi-group structural equation modeling

Higher education is a focus of increasing violent behavior. The evidence suggests an obsession to achieve the best academic performance in order to access working life. This research aims to develop an explanatory model of violent behavior and its relationship with self-concept and emotional intelligence according to in relation to their academic performance. A sample of 932 Spanish undergraduate students participated in the multi-group structural equation modeling. Findings revealed that students who have a higher academic performance have problems to control and regulate their emotions, showing signs of direct and indirect violence. Moreover, it was found that that emotional intelligence and self-concept have a direct influence on episodes of violent behavior, with academic performance being a key component affecting each variable. The present study provides some implications and suggests some avenues for future research.

Physical Activity, Body Image, and Emotional Intelligence Differences in Adults with Overweight and Obesity

Physical activity (PA) and emotional intelligence (EI) are integral parts of human nature. Body image (BI) and body mass index (BMI) may be indications of the psycho-emotional and physical health of human beings. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between PA and EI of Greek adults living with overweight and obesity, as well as to identify the BI and EI differences in this population. A cross-sectional study design was used, involving 216 participants (65% females) of whom 51.4% were young adults (20-40 years), 48.6% were middle-aged adults (41-60 years), while 51.4% of participants were living with overweight or obesity. According to the results, all indicators of PA had very low correlations with EI factors, while statistically significant correlations were observed only for PA at work and the total score of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire with the use of emotions (r = 0.16 and r = 0.17, respectively, p < 0.05). Women had significantly higher EI scores than men regarding the care and empathy factor, while the individuals with obesity had lower scores in the use of emotions factor. Regarding BI, young adults who were satisfied with their BI had better control of feelings than the middle-aged adult counterparts. In conclusion, BI satisfaction and EI may differ between individuals living with overweight and obesity in both genders. Younger individuals with obesity may compensate better for their BI and better control their emotions. On the other side, PA does not seem to have an important role in these associations.

The development of the Chinese version of the Sports Emotional Intelligence Scale

Objective

To revise and test the Chinese version of the Sports Emotional Intelligence Scale (SEIS) in sports situations.

Materials and methods

After pretesting 112 college students, 832 college students were formally tested, and item analysis, validity test, internal consistency reliability analysis, and calibration validity and equivalence test of the Chinese version of the SEIS were performed. The Chinese version of the SEIS had 14 items with four dimensions (evaluation of others’ emotions, self-emotional management, emotion use, and social skills), with a cumulative variance contribution of 57.812 percent; the four-factor measurement model fit well (χ2/df = 3.743, NFI = 0.917, GFI = 0.945, AFGI = 0.913, CFI = 0.926, and RMSEA = 0.062). The internal consistency coefficients (Cronbach’s α) of the Chinese version of the SEIS ranged from 0.824 to 0. 905, and the split-half reliability ranged from 0.807 to 0.891; the correlations between the total SEIS score and its dimensional scores and the calibration variables were significantly correlated (p &lt; 0.05), ranging from 0.255 to 0.603. The gender measure equivalence test was valid, and the mean difference of potential variables across gender groups was not significant in the potential mean analysis.

Conclusion

The Chinese version of the SEIS has good reliability and validity, and it is appropriate for assessing emotional intelligence in sports situations.

What Types of Exercise Are Best for Emotional Intelligence and Logical Thinking?

The aim of our study was to determine whether EI and LT vs. intuitive thinking (CRT score) are related to participation in professional sports, independent exercise, and exercise at a gym/health center compared with no exercise. We selected 20 of the most popular types of exercise in Lithuania among respondents who exercise independently or at a gym/health center, and we ranked these types of exercise according to the participants' emotional intelligence and logical thinking. We studied 4545 women and 1824 men aged 18-74 years with a focus on whether emotional intelligence and logical thinking are related to type of exercise. Participation in any exercise was significantly related to emotional intelligence in men and women. Women in professional sports solved the lowest number of logic tasks. Women who exercise independently or at a gym/health center had better logical thinking than those who do not exercise. Among men, logical thinking was not associated with the type of exercise. We found the tendency for a negative correlation between EI and LT in the 20 most popular types of exercise. Emotional intelligence correlated positively with participation in MVPA. The highest emotional intelligence was in women who participate in dance or Pilates and in men who participate in martial arts, wrestling, boxing, or yoga. Logical thinking was the highest in men who participate in triathlon and in women who perform CrossFit. Men who practice martial arts or track and field and women who participate in cycling were in the top five for emotional intelligence and logical thinking.