Emotional Intelligence and its Relationship to Decision-Making Ability in Team Sports among Fourth-Year Students (Football, Basketball, Handball, Team Sports)

Abstract

This research aims to study the relationship between emotional intelligence and decision-making ability among fourth-year students at the College of Physical Education and Sports Sciences, Al-Mustansiriya University. Differences in this relationship were found according to the type of team sport (football, basketball, handball, volleyball) and gender. The researchers used a descriptive approach with correlational analysis. The research sample consisted of 160 students randomly selected from the total research population. Two validated scales were used to measure both emotional intelligence and decision-making ability, after confirming their psychometric properties. The results showed a statistically significant positive correlation between emotional intelligence and decision-making ability, indicating that developing emotional intelligence contributes to improving players' decisions during competitive situations. The results also showed statistically significant differences according to the type of sport and gender. Football players excelled in decision-making ability, while volleyball players excelled in emotional control. Males also outperformed females in some aspects of decision-making, while females scored higher in the dimensions of empathy and emotional control.