Examining the relationships between the emotional intelligence and mental toughness of amateur football players

This research aims to examine the relationship between emotional intelligence and mental toughness in amateur football players. The study group consisted of 451 amateur football players, all male. The Emotional Intelligence Scale and Mental Toughness Scale were used as data collection tools. SPSS was used to analyze the data. Pearson Correlation Analysis was used for correlational analyses, while Simple Regression and Multiple Regression Analyses were used to explain the impact of emotional intelligence on mental toughness. The findings from the analyses indicate a significant, positive, and moderate relationship between the emotional intelligence and mental resilience of amateur football players. The "emotional facilitation" subscale, in particular, was found to be a strong predictor of mental resilience. This suggests that amateur football players with high emotional intelligence are more resilient under pressure. At the end of the research, various recommendations were made to athletes, coaches, academics and all stakeholders interested in this field.