Strengthening the Mind: Evaluating Emotional Intelligence as a Tool to Combat Anxiety in Youth Soccer
Year: 2026
Type: article
Study designs: Randomized Controlled Trial, Clinical Trial
Abstract: Competitive anxiety is a significant challenge for adolescent soccer players, contributing to psychological distress and early sport withdrawal, and approximately 70% of youth athletes quit organized sport by age 14. Emotional intelligence, the capacity to recognize, understand, and regulate emotions, represents a promising and trainable intervention target, yet few studies have examined structured EI programs with youth soccer populations using rigorous experimental designs that include a parallel control group. This quantitative intervention study examined the effect of an emotional intelligence intervention on competitive anxiety among youth soccer players, including whether individual emotional profiles and gender moderated outcomes. A randomized controlled trial was conducted (N=59)with competitive youth soccer players ages 11-17, measuring emotional intelligence, competitive anxiety, and coping skills at baseline and post-intervention in intervention (n=29) and control (n=30) groups. The intervention group received six sessions designed to develop emotional intelligence. There were significant gains in self-confidence. Athletes with stronger pre-existing coping skills derived the greatest anxiety-related benefit from the intervention. Gender did not moderate intervention outcomes, suggesting the program was similarly effective for male and female athletes. These findings offer practitioners a scalable, evidence-informed model for integrating emotional intelligence training into youth sport environments to support athlete wellbeing and sustained participation.
Author: Hill, John P
Institution: Liberty University
Language: English
Subfield: Developmental and Educational Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7165272779