The Effects of Adolescent Athletes’ Narcissism on Aggression: The Moderating Effect of Emotional Intelligence

Abstract

The competitive nature of sports often leads to heightened aggression among athletes, particularly in adolescents. This study examined the relationship between narcissism and aggression in adolescent athletes, focusing on the moderating role of emotional intelligence. A total of 294 adolescent athletes registered with institutions under the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee completed self-report surveys on narcissism, emotional intelligence, and aggression. Data were analyzed using SPSS 26.0 and AMOS 21.0, employing Hayes’s PROCESS macro for moderation analysis. Results revealed that athletes’ narcissism positively predicted aggression, and this relationship was moderated by the level of athletes’ emotional intelligence. Specifically, the positive association between narcissism and aggression was weaker for athletes with higher emotional intelligence. These findings contribute to the understanding of psychological dynamics in youth sports and provide practical implications for coaches and sports psychologists. By highlighting the complex interplay between narcissism, emotional intelligence, and aggression, this study offers insights for developing targeted interventions to manage aggressive behavior and promote healthy psychological development in adolescent athletes.

Keywords

adolescent athletes narcissism emotional intelligence aggression

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