Coaches’ emotional intelligence and athletes’ psychological need satisfaction in Taekwondo: Coaching behaviour as a mediator

Background and Study Aim: Material and Methods: Results: Conclusions: Coaches’ role in sports is crucial. Their emotional intelligence and behaviour affect athletes’ motivational pro-cesses. This study cognitive aim is knowledge about the interrelations among emotional intelligence, coaching behaviour and psychological need satisfaction. Participants were 228 taekwondo athletes registered in a South Korean university federation. Data included athletes’ perceptions of their coaches, measured and collected using the Emotional Intelligence Scale, Controlling Coaching Behavior Scale, Autonomy-Supportive Scale and Psychological Need Satisfaction Scale. First, emotional intelligence positively predicted psychological need satisfaction and autonomy-supportive behaviour and negatively predicted controlling coaching behaviour. Second, controlling coaching behaviour negatively predicted psychological need satisfaction. We did not find a mediating effect of coaching behaviour on the relation between emotional intelligence and psychological need satisfaction. Emotional intelligence was found as a positive predictor of PNS and AS and a negative predictor of CCB. Only CCB was negatively associated with PNS. However, we did not find the mediating effect of AS and CCB. These findings show that coaches’ EI could be a key characteristic in enhancing coaching effectiveness as they show their athletes more supportive and not controlling behaviours, thus satisfying their athletes’ psychological needs. Therefore, we should consider EI as part of coaching skills and educate the public on its importance.