Investigation of the relationship between leadership characteristics and emotional intelligence levels of high school students participating in school sports: The case of Diyarbakır

Objective: The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between high school students' emotional intelligence levels and leadership orientations and the effects of socio-demographic variables such as gender, grade level, school type and income level on this relationship. Materials and Methods: In this study, descriptive and relational survey model was used on students actively participating in school sports in various high schools in Turkey. The study was conducted on 133 students determined by convenience sampling method. Emotional intelligence and leadership orientation scales were used as data collection tools and the data were analyzed with SPSS 22.0 software. Statistical analysis methods such as independent sample t-test, ANOVA and Mann-Whitney U test were used. Results: The results of the study showed that gender, grade level, school type and income level had no significant effect on emotional intelligence and leadership orientations. It was found that male students scored higher in the "Regulating Emotions" dimension. In addition, it was determined that emotional intelligence dimensions showed a strong relationship with leadership styles. Conclusion: The research has shown that emotional intelligence significantly affects leadership skills. Emotional intelligence training should be given more importance in educational programs to improve leadership skills. Moreover, the influence of socio-demographic factors on these skills is limited. These results can help to create strategies for leadership and emotional intelligence development.