Emotional Intelligence in Physical Education in Primary Education: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Background/Objectives: Emotional intelligence can be understood as the ability to perceive, understand and manage one’s own emotions and those of others, promoting personal and social well-being. In the school context, Physical Education is an ideal setting for developing these skills. The aim of this systematic review was to identify and analyse programmes that integrate emotional intelligence into Physical Education in primary education. Methods: To this end, a systematic review was carried out, based on the PRISMA method, in the Web of Science, ERIC and PsycInfo databases, analysing scientific literature related to Physical Education and Emotional Intelligence. Likewise, the PICO strategy was used to develop the inclusion and exclusion criteria, resulting in the selection of 11 articles. Results: The results showed that well-planned pedagogical models and active methodologies enable the development of skills such as self-esteem, empathy, emotional self-regulation and motivation. Similarly, integrated approaches that purposefully combine movement and emotion produced more positive and lasting effects than traditional interventions focusing solely on physical aspects. Conclusions: The main conclusion is that pedagogical models in Physical Education can promote the development of emotional variables such as empathy, self-regulation, self-confidence, and motivation in primary school students. These findings highlight the need for further research in this area and for the promotion of structured educational programmes that intentionally incorporate emotional work into Physical Education from the early stages of schooling.