Emotional intelligence protects runners from negative self-talk, study suggests

A study of more than 1,000 runners found that these individuals use more negative self-talk after a race when they perceive a higher level of stress. Negative self-talk was less common in runners with better emotional intelligence. The study was published in Psychology of Sport & Exercise. Negative self-talk refers to the habit of engaging in internal dialogue that is critical, self-deprecating, or pessimistic, undermining one’s self-esteem and overall mental well-being. It involves repetitive thoughts or statements that focus on perceived shortcomings, failures, or inadequacies. This can resu...