Physical activity, emotional intelligence and physical self-concept in Secondary Education teachers: a cross-sectional study

Teachers’ health and well-being are essential for promoting positive educational environments and healthy lifestyles within schools. Emotional intelligence and physical self-concept have emerged as relevant psychological factors associated with engagement in physical activity; however, evidence among secondary education teachers remains limited. The objective of this study was to analyse the relationships between physical activity, trait emotional intelligence and perceived physical self-concept among secondary education teachers, as well as to examine the indirect association between emotional intelligence and physical activity through physical self-concept. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 85 secondary education teachers from schools in the Region of Murcia (Spain). Participants completed the Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire-Short Form (TEIQue-SF), the Physical Self-Concept Questionnaire (PSQ), and a physical activity assessment based on the PACE questionnaire. Descriptive analyses, Pearson correlations, MANOVA, and structural equation modelling were performed. Physical activity was positively associated with all dimensions of physical self-concept and with the sociability dimension of emotional intelligence. Teachers reporting higher levels of physical activity showed more favourable perceptions of their physical competence, condition, strength and self-esteem. In an exploratory structural equation model, emotional intelligence was positively associated with physical self-concept, which in turn was associated with physical activity; the indirect effect of emotional intelligence on physical activity through physical self-concept was significant (β = .18; 95% bootstrap CI [.03, .42]) and the direct effect was non-significant, a pattern statistically consistent with mediation that requires longitudinal confirmation. Physical activity is associated with better physical self-perceptions and greater emotional resources among secondary education teachers. These findings highlight the potential value of promoting active lifestyles within educational settings as a strategy to enhance teachers’ well-being and occupational health. Future longitudinal studies are needed to clarify the causal relationships among these variables.