Increasing Emotional Intelligence in Cricketers: An Intervention Study

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of emotional intelligence (EI) training and development on the EI profile scores of individual cricketers. 24 players attending the South African National Cricket Academy were randomised to an intervention group (EI training and development intervention program) or control group (no intervention). The experimental design was executed in 2007 and 2008 with different cohorts of players. The EI of the players was measured pre and post intervention using the Mayer, Salovey & Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test (MSCEIT). In 2007 the baseline Total EI score for the intervention group was 84.9 and the post intervention Total EI score was 96.6, giving a relative increase of 13.7%. By comparison, the baseline Total EI score for the control group was 81.8 and post intervention the Total EI score was 83.4, giving a relative increase of 2%. In 2008 the baseline Total EI score for the intervention group was 89.4 and the post intervention Total EI score was 101.7, giving a relative increase of 13.8%. By comparison, the baseline Total EI score for the control group was 87.4 and the post intervention Total EI score was 84.8, a relative decrease of 3.1%. The estimated intervention effect for the percentage change in Total EI score over both years is 14.5% (95% CI: 11.9 to 17.2%) and is significant, indicating EI training and development may contribute to increasing the EI profile of individual cricketers.