Understanding the psychology of Filipino athletes through emotional intelligence and conflict behaviors

This study examines the levels of emotional intelligence (EI) and conflict behavior (CB) among Filipino university athletes ( N = 208) and explores differences across sex, sport type, and sport category. This study employed an exploratory cross-sectional quantitative research design, appropriate for contexts where empirical evidence of the constructs of interests remains limited and the aim is to identify patters of association. Data were collected via the Wong and Law Emotional Intelligence Scale (WLEIS) and the Dutch Test for Conflict Handling (DUTCH). Given the ordinal nature of the data and non-normal score distributions, non-parametric statistical analyses were employed, specifically Mann–Whitney U test for two group comparisons and the Jonckheere-Terpstra test for ordered comparisons across sports categories. Results indicate that Filipino athletes generally exhibit high EI levels ( md = 6). Significant differences in EI were found by sex (e.g., items related to self-emotion appraisal, other’s emotion appraisal, regulation of emotion) and sport type (e.g., an item related to other’s emotion appraisal). Conflict behavior differences were observed by sex (e.g., conflict behaviors such as accommodating, forcing, avoiding) but not by sport type or event category. Findings are interpreted through the lens of Filipino Psychology, specifically the kapwa framework of insider (Hindi Ibang Tao) and outsider (Ibang Tao) relational categories, providing a culturally grounded understanding of emotional and conflict processes in Filipino sports contexts. The EI and CB of Filipino athletes can be best understood through loob (inner self), pakiramdam (feeling for another), hiya (modesty), pakikisama (getting along with others), pakikipagkapwa-tao (humanity towards others), pag -iwas gulo (avoiding trouble; maintaining harmony). Implications for EI training and culturally responsive conflict management interventions are discussed.