Emotional intelligence in sports: toward a new program for intervention

Many diverse theoretical frameworks for Emotional Intelligence (EI) have been proposed; these varying conceptualisations have implications for applied sport psychology. This paper provides an overview of the various EI models, along with their critique, as well as their application in sport psychology. Importantly, the present paper presents a pioneering attempt to draw on all the major EI theoretical frameworks to propose an EI intervention program for professional practice in sport psychology. The aim of this program is to enhance the professional sporting performance and outcome. The AERI, an intervention program consists of four inter-related components: (a) attention, (b) emotional awareness, (c) emotion regulation, and (d) identification. This program, it is argued, would allow coaches, sports psychologists, and fitness leaders to adapt their approaches to train athletes to enhance their levels of EI