The Effect of Local Indigenous Games on Motor proficiency in Elementary School Boys in Tehran with High and Low Emotional Intelligence

In this paper, the local indigenous games have been studied on motor proficiency of 10-13-year-old boys with high and low emotional intelligence. A total of 30 children with a mean age of (11.46 ± 1.04) were selected from the schools of District 7 of Tehran via purposeful method, and based on the general score of emotional intelligence from Shoot et al. The participants were divided into two groups of 15 people with high and low emotional intelligence, and there was no significant difference in motor proficiency between the two groups. To assess emotional intelligence, the Shoot et al. questionnaire and for motor proficiency Bruninx-Oseretsky test were used. Exercise interventions were performed for 8 weeks in a gym in the same way for both groups. These exercises were three sessions per week with each session lasting 90 minutes, consisting of 20 minutes of warm-up, 15 minutes to cool down at the end, and the remaining 55 minutes in between for game interventions. The results of independent t-test revealed a significant difference between the two groups after the intervention. Specifically, the children with a high emotional intelligence had greater Motor Proficiency. Hence, based on the advantage of the chosen motor games, use of this practice in schools can be helpful. Also, sports educators can consider emotional intelligence as an effective variable in supporting children towards high levels of athletic performance.