| dc.description.abstract | At the elite level in sport, the difference between winning and losing is often ascribed to a player’s level of psychological abilities. Given that athletes’ physical, tactical and technical abilities are fairly equal, an athlete’s winning performance usually is ascribed to him/her possessing better mental skills than the rest. In rugby, numerous studies have investigated certain aspects important for performance such as anthropometrical, physiological and biomechanical requirements. However, the psychological characteristics of elite rugby players and the relationship thereof with performance have not yet attracted much attention among researchers. Based on the limited research pertaining to the role of cognition, personality and emotional intelligence with regard to playing level in rugby, the following research questions were formulated: 1) Which neurocognitive variables significantly differ between male, South African professional and semi-professional rugby union players? (Article 1); 2) Which personality traits significantly differ between male, South African professional and semi-professional rugby union players? (Article 2); 3) Which aspects of emotional intelligence significantly differ between male, South African professional and semi-professional rugby union players? (Article 3); and 4) Does a significant interrelationship exist between neurocognitive variables and emotional intelligence and between personality and emotional intelligence among male, South African professional and semi-professional rugby union players? (Article 4). The objectives of the study were subsequently also formulated as follows: 1) To determine if neurocognitive variables significantly differ between male, South African professional and semi-professional rugby union players; 2) To determine whether personality traits significantly differ between male, South African professional and semi-professional rugby union players; 3) To determine whether aspects of emotional intelligence significantly differ between male, South African professional and semi-professional rugby union players; and 4) To establish whether a significant interrelationship exists between neurocognitive variables and emotional intelligence and between personality and emotional intelligence among male, South African professional and semi-professional rugby union players. Since this was an exploratory study, a quantitative empirical research approach with a cross-sectional survey design was used along with a convenience sample. The sample consisted of 79 male South African rugby union players between 19 and 37 years of age participating at national, transnational and university levels. To address objectives 1-3, the total group of players was divided into a professional group (n = 55) and a semi-professional group (n = 24). The professional group consisted of full-time players who were competing at the highest level in a transnational competition and were remunerated for playing rugby, while the semi-professional players were full-time students at a university and competing in the top tier university competition, but therefore not earning a salary for being part of the team. To address objective 4, all the players were treated as one group. The players all completed the WebNeuro Sport online assessment representing a holistic assessment of various factors which might potentially influence an athlete’s performance. The assessment consists of a demographic questionnaire (including name, surname, age and gender) and seven assessments, namely the Carlstedt Subliminal Attention, Reactivity and Coping Scale-Athlete Version (CSARCS-A); the cognitive functioning domain; the Brain Resource Inventory for Screening Cases (BRISC) which is a screening tool for markers of self-regulation; the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS); a sleep assessment questionnaire which evaluates the test taker’s quality and frequency of sleep; the Brain Resource Inventory for Emotional Intelligence Factors (BRIEF) and a Personality inventory (NEO-FFI). For this study, only the data of the cognitive functioning domain, the BRIEF, and the NEO-FFI were used. The results of the quantitative data suggest that no significant neurocognitive difference existed between the professional and semi-professional players. Neuroticism was, however, the only personality trait that was found to differ significantly between players playing at different levels. On emotional intelligence (EI), the external emotional capacity subscale (EEC) obtained a medium worthwhile effect in favour of the professional players. Lastly, the findings indicate a significant correlation between total EI and extraversion, and conscientiousness. Internal emotional capacity (IEC) significantly correlated with extraversion, openness, agreeableness and conscientiousness. External emotional capacity (EEC) showed a significant correlation with extraversion and openness. With regard to cognition, external emotional capacity significantly correlated with verbal ability. Contrary to our expectations, the findings showed few psychological differences between professional and semi-professional players with only neuroticism and external emotional capacity differing between players playing at different levels. Finally, seen from a theoretical point of view, the results indicated that EI is rather associated with personality than with an individual’s cognition. | en_US |
