Emotional Intelligence in Gen Z Teaching Undergraduates: The Impact of Physical Activity and Biopsychosocial Factors

Emotional intelligence is a crucial determinant of socioemotional adaptation, psychological well-being and healthy habits in a population, although it has been barely studied in Generation Z. Therefore, the following research objectives were established: (1) to measure the levels of attention, clari...

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Main Authors: Daniel Sanz-Martín, Rafael Francisco Caracuel-Cáliz, José Manuel Alonso-Vargas, Irwin A. Ramírez-Granizo
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-07-01
Series:European Journal of Investigation in Health, Psychology and Education
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2254-9625/15/7/123
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author Daniel Sanz-Martín
Rafael Francisco Caracuel-Cáliz
José Manuel Alonso-Vargas
Irwin A. Ramírez-Granizo
author_facet Daniel Sanz-Martín
Rafael Francisco Caracuel-Cáliz
José Manuel Alonso-Vargas
Irwin A. Ramírez-Granizo
author_sort Daniel Sanz-Martín
collection DOAJ
description Emotional intelligence is a crucial determinant of socioemotional adaptation, psychological well-being and healthy habits in a population, although it has been barely studied in Generation Z. Therefore, the following research objectives were established: (1) to measure the levels of attention, clarity and emotional repair of Spanish university students in teaching undergraduates and (2) to design predictive models of emotional intelligence considering sex, anthropometric measurements, physical activity and the use of social networks as factors. A cross-sectional study was conducted with the involvement of Spanish teaching undergraduates. An online questionnaire integrating sociodemographic questions, the International Physical Activity Questionnaire Short Form, Trait Meta-State Mood Scale TMMS-24 and Social Network Addiction Scale SNAddS-6S were administered. University students exhibited higher levels of emotional attention (30.32 ± 6.08) than those of emotional clarity (28.18 ± 6.34) and emotional repair (28.51 ± 6.02). Most students use X, Pinterest, TikTok, Instagram, YouTube and WhatsApp most days of the week. There are positive relationships between attention and emotional clarity (r = 0.33; <i>p</i> ≤ 0.001), attention and emotional repair (r = 0.18; <i>p</i> ≤ 0.001) and clarity and emotional repair (r = 0.44; <i>p</i> ≤ 0.001). In conclusion, males have higher levels of emotional clarity and emotional repair, but females show higher levels of emotional attention. The model with the highest explanatory power is the one obtained for men’s emotional attention.
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spelling doaj-art-85925de8d0cd40259612020b282926cd2025-08-20T03:07:54ZengMDPI AGEuropean Journal of Investigation in Health, Psychology and Education2174-81442254-96252025-07-0115712310.3390/ejihpe15070123Emotional Intelligence in Gen Z Teaching Undergraduates: The Impact of Physical Activity and Biopsychosocial FactorsDaniel Sanz-Martín0Rafael Francisco Caracuel-Cáliz1José Manuel Alonso-Vargas2Irwin A. Ramírez-Granizo3Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Universidad Isabel I (Ui1), 09003 Burgos, SpainFaculty of Health Sciences and Education, Distance University of Madrid (UDIMA), 28010 Madrid, SpainDepartment of Didactics Musical, Plastic and Corporal Expression, Faculty of Education Science, University of Granada, 18071 Granada, SpainDepartment of Didactics Musical, Plastic and Corporal Expression, Faculty of Education Science, University of Granada, 18071 Granada, SpainEmotional intelligence is a crucial determinant of socioemotional adaptation, psychological well-being and healthy habits in a population, although it has been barely studied in Generation Z. Therefore, the following research objectives were established: (1) to measure the levels of attention, clarity and emotional repair of Spanish university students in teaching undergraduates and (2) to design predictive models of emotional intelligence considering sex, anthropometric measurements, physical activity and the use of social networks as factors. A cross-sectional study was conducted with the involvement of Spanish teaching undergraduates. An online questionnaire integrating sociodemographic questions, the International Physical Activity Questionnaire Short Form, Trait Meta-State Mood Scale TMMS-24 and Social Network Addiction Scale SNAddS-6S were administered. University students exhibited higher levels of emotional attention (30.32 ± 6.08) than those of emotional clarity (28.18 ± 6.34) and emotional repair (28.51 ± 6.02). Most students use X, Pinterest, TikTok, Instagram, YouTube and WhatsApp most days of the week. There are positive relationships between attention and emotional clarity (r = 0.33; <i>p</i> ≤ 0.001), attention and emotional repair (r = 0.18; <i>p</i> ≤ 0.001) and clarity and emotional repair (r = 0.44; <i>p</i> ≤ 0.001). In conclusion, males have higher levels of emotional clarity and emotional repair, but females show higher levels of emotional attention. The model with the highest explanatory power is the one obtained for men’s emotional attention.https://www.mdpi.com/2254-9625/15/7/123emotional attentionemotional clarityemotional repairmoderate–vigorous physical activitysocial networksuniversity
spellingShingle Daniel Sanz-Martín
Rafael Francisco Caracuel-Cáliz
José Manuel Alonso-Vargas
Irwin A. Ramírez-Granizo
Emotional Intelligence in Gen Z Teaching Undergraduates: The Impact of Physical Activity and Biopsychosocial Factors
European Journal of Investigation in Health, Psychology and Education
emotional attention
emotional clarity
emotional repair
moderate–vigorous physical activity
social networks
university
title Emotional Intelligence in Gen Z Teaching Undergraduates: The Impact of Physical Activity and Biopsychosocial Factors
title_full Emotional Intelligence in Gen Z Teaching Undergraduates: The Impact of Physical Activity and Biopsychosocial Factors
title_fullStr Emotional Intelligence in Gen Z Teaching Undergraduates: The Impact of Physical Activity and Biopsychosocial Factors
title_full_unstemmed Emotional Intelligence in Gen Z Teaching Undergraduates: The Impact of Physical Activity and Biopsychosocial Factors
title_short Emotional Intelligence in Gen Z Teaching Undergraduates: The Impact of Physical Activity and Biopsychosocial Factors
title_sort emotional intelligence in gen z teaching undergraduates the impact of physical activity and biopsychosocial factors
topic emotional attention
emotional clarity
emotional repair
moderate–vigorous physical activity
social networks
university
url https://www.mdpi.com/2254-9625/15/7/123
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AT rafaelfranciscocaracuelcaliz emotionalintelligenceingenzteachingundergraduatestheimpactofphysicalactivityandbiopsychosocialfactors
AT josemanuelalonsovargas emotionalintelligenceingenzteachingundergraduatestheimpactofphysicalactivityandbiopsychosocialfactors
AT irwinaramirezgranizo emotionalintelligenceingenzteachingundergraduatestheimpactofphysicalactivityandbiopsychosocialfactors