Assessing the impact of emotional and interpersonal intelligence, and physical performance on academic achievement in sports students

Introduction: The rationale for this study stems from the need to understand the non-cognitive factors associated with academic achievement among students in sports-related programs, as sports learning requires the integration of academic demands, social interaction, and physical readiness. Objective: This study examined the effects of emotional intelligence, interpersonal intelligence, and physical performance on academic achievement, as well as the indirect effects of emotional intelligence through interpersonal intelligence and physical performance. Methodology: An explanatory quantitative design was employed using path analysis within a Structural Equation Modeling framework based on cross-sectional data. The participants were 227 students from sports-related programs at several higher education institutions in Indonesia. The instruments consisted of Likert-scale measures of emotional intelligence, interpersonal intelligence, and physical performance, while academic achievement was measured using Grade Point Average. Instrument testing showed adequate construct validity and reliability. Data were collected through Google Forms using informed consent, screening questions, and response quality checks, then analyzed using SEM with bootstrapping to test direct and indirect effects. Results: The results showed that emotional intelligence, interpersonal intelligence, and physical performance were all positively associated with academic achievement. Emotional intelligence was also strongly associated with interpersonal intelligence and physical performance, and its indirect effects on academic achievement through both mediators were significant. Discussion: The novelty of this study lies in its integrated modeling of social and performance pathways linking emotional intelligence to academic achievement across multiple institutions. Conclusions: Practically, the findings highlight the need for strategies that strengthen emotional regulation, interpersonal competence, and physical performance management to support academic success.