The relationship between emotional intelligence andmindful awareness in athletes

The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between athletes' emotional intelligence and levels of mindful awareness. The research was conducted using the relational screening model, which is one of the quantitative research methods. The population of the study consists of individuals who play football professionally, while the sample comprises 505 athletes selected through a convenience sampling method. The data collection tools used in the study are a personal information form, an emotional intelligence scale, and a mindful awareness scale. The collected data were transferred to the SPSS analysis program, where normality analyses were conducted, confirming that the data exhibited a normal distribution. Parametric tests and correlation analysis were then applied. As a result of the analyses, significant differences were found between the athletes' emotional intelligence levels and variables such as age, annual income, years of sport, nationality status, having physical or psychological disorders, and the duration of working with the same coaches. Additionally, significant differences were found between the athletes' levels of mindful awareness and variables such as age, nationality status, receiving theoretical training, and the duration of working with the same coaches. Furthermore, a moderate significant relationship was identified between the athletes' emotional intelligence levels and their levels of mindful awareness. Keywords: Emotional intelligence, Mindful awareness, Athlete