Relationships between Exercise as a Mood Regulation Strategy and Trait Emotional Intelligence

Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between perception of emotional intelligence and beliefs in the extent to which exercising leads to mood-enhancement. Methods: Volunteer participants (N= 315) completed a 33-item self-report measure of trait emotional intelligence and an exercise-mood regulation scale. Results: Emotional intelligence significantly correlated with beliefs that exercise could be used to regulate mood (r =0.45, P < 0 .01). Conclusion: Findings demonstrate that using exercise to regulate mood relates significantly to emotional intelligence and suggest that individuals who use exercise to enhance mood report higher scores of emotional intelligence.