Features of emotional intelligence and self-regulation of behavior in adolescent e-athletes with different levels of assertiveness

Keywords: esports, adolescent athletes, assertiveness, positive aggressiveness, emotional intelligence, self-regulation of behavior, neuroticism, correlation analysis

Abstract

Introduction. Modern society has witnessed a paradigmatic shift in the expectations placed upon adolescence, particularly when it comes to sporting activities. Esports presents a unique combination of psychophysiological measures and social skills. This study aims to elucidate the manifestations of emotional intelligence and behavioral self-regulation among adolescent athletes with different levels of assertiveness. Materials and methods. A sample of 57 schoolchildren (12.2 ± 1.1 years; esports experience 2.2 ± 0.8 years) underwent comprehensive psychodiagnostic assessments with a battery of tests, including the Sheinov Assertiveness Test, the Eyesenck Personality Inventory (as adapted by Shmelev), the Lyusin Emotional Intelligence Test, the Morosanova Self-Regulation Profile Questionnaire, and the Ilyn Personal Aggressiveness and Proneness to Conflict Test. Based on assertiveness test outcomes, adolescents were assigned into one of the three groups: “aggressive”, “assertive”, and “insecure”. Data analysis was performed by means of IBM SPSS Statistica v. 23, with Shapiro–Wilk, Kruskal–Wallis, and Mann–Whitney tests applied. Spearman correlation analysis evaluated relationships between studied parameters across compared groups.
Results. Across all levels of assertiveness, adolescent athletes exhibited high scores on scales measuring “Uncompromising attitude” and “Positive aggressiveness”. Results revealed significant differences in scales “Touchiness”, “Rigidity”, “Suspicion”, “Neuroticism”, “Modeling”, “Evaluation of results”, and all measures of emotional intelligence across compared groups. Interpersonal emotional intelligence demonstrated no correlation with assertiveness in any comparison group. Adolescent athletes with aggressive and assertive behavior patterns exercise their emotional intelligence through modeling; while those with insecure behavior do the same through planning. Conclusion. Initial training programs in esports should include positive psychological interventions aimed at promoting positive aggressiveness, self-regulation, emotional intelligence, and, thus, enhancing athletes’ levels of assertiveness.

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Author Biographies

A. S. Belenkov , South Ural State University (76 Lenin Ave., Chelyabinsk, 454080, Russia)

Associate Professor of the Department of Athletic Performance Enhancement; Institute of Sport, Tourism and Service

P. A. Baiguzhin , South-Ural State University (76 Lenin Ave., Chelyabinsk, 454080, Russia)

Doctor of Biological Sciences, Leading Researcher, Research Center for Sports Science; Institute of Sport, Tourism and Service

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References on translit

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Published
2024-09-30
How to Cite
Belenkov, A. S. B., & Baiguzhin, P. (2024). Features of emotional intelligence and self-regulation of behavior in adolescent e-athletes with different levels of assertiveness. Psychology. Psychophysiology, 17(3), 5-20. https://doi.org/10.14529/jpps240301
Section
Methodological and theoretical issues of psychology

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