Emotional Intelligence Perspective in Sport: Bibliometric Analysis of Psychological Journals Indexed in Scopus (2013-2025)

Abstract

Emotional intelligence (EI) is a key factor in sports, facilitating emotional self-regulation, resilience, and decision-making. Although international research on this topic has grown, contributions from Latin America and Costa Rica remain scarce. This study analyzed scientific production on EI in sports through a bibliometric approach applied to psychology journals indexed in Scopus from 2013 to 2025. A mixed-methods design with a quantitative and sequential focus was used. The sample included 112 articles selected from an initial corpus of 862. Data were analyzed with Biblioshiny in R Studio, considering productivity, collaboration, visibility, and impact indicators, complemented by a qualitative review of the 20 most-cited papers. Findings showed a 15.9% decrease in annual production, while the average citations per document remained stable at 17.5. Spain led in publication output, followed by the United Kingdom and Canada, with international collaboration prevailing in Europe and North America. The most common research lines addressed trait EI, self-compassion, and emotional regulation. Overall, research on emotional intelligence in sports has yet to consolidate but shows growing visibility and progress. These results highlight the need to strengthen Latin American scientific production and promote EI application in training and athletic development.