Development of Emotional Intelligence in Primary Education through Physical Education: a systematic review

Scientific evidence has shown that emotions play an essential role in the development of behavior, decision making and socialization of our students. Moreover, their work in educational centers has been consolidated in a prescriptive way in the curricular regulations, being mandatory. Therefore, the aim of this systematic review is to identify and analyze the most effective teaching strategies for the development of emotional intelligence in the Primary Education stage, through Physical Education. This work addresses how to work and promote emotional competences from an early age, highlighting that the use of these competences helps the wellbeing of primary school students, as well as their academic success, among others. Method: Articles published from 2017 to December 2024 collected in the Web of Science and Scopus were selected, which after applying the inclusion and exclusion criteria were reduced to a total of 10 articles. The Cochrane Risk of Bias in Nonrandomized Studies (ROBINS-I) collaboration tool was used with the aim of assessing the risk of bias of nonrandomized investigations of interventions and quasi-experimental and experimental studies. Results and discussion: The results show the most effective didactic strategies for emotional development through Physical Education and its implication both in the educational and socio-personal aspects of the students. In addition, the importance of continuous training for teachers and the incorporation of work plans on emotional intelligence are highlighted, as well as recommendations for teachers and educational administrations.