Prediction of Professional Athletes’ Socio-Emotional Competence Based on the Dark Triad Traits and Distress Tolerance: The Mediating Role of Ego Resilience

Subject Areas : Research Journal of Sociological of Sport

Nina Shahinnia ¹ , Yasaman Amiri ² , Sadegh Khodamoradi ³

1 - M.A. in Clinical Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences and Psychology, Islamic Azad University, South Tehran Branch,Tehran,Iran
2 - M.A. in General Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Education, Allameh Tabataba’i University, Tehran, Iran
3 - Department of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences and Psychology, Islamic Azad University, South Tehran Branch, Tehran, Iran

Received: 2025-02-21 Accepted : 2025-03-26 Published : 2025-05-15

Keywords: Sociol-Emotional Competence, DarkTriad Traits, Distress Tolerance, Ego Resilience,

Abstract :

Introduction: The present study aimed to examine whether there is a significant relationship between the Dark Triad personality traits and distress tolerance with athletes’ emotional-social competence. Furthermore, it sought to determine whether ego strength serves as a mediating variable in this relationship Methods: This study employed a descriptive-correlational design within the framework of structural equation modeling (SEM). The statistical population included all male and female professional athletes in both individual and team sports in Tehran during the year 2024. A total of 400 athletes were selected using purposive and convenience sampling methods. The instruments used in this study included the Social–Emotional Competence Questionnaire (SECQ), the Short Dark Triad (SD3), the Distress Tolerance Scale (DTS), and the Psychological Inventory of Ego Strengths (PIES). Data analysis was performed using SPSS version 27 and AMOS version 26. Results: The findings indicated that both distress tolerance and the Dark Triad personality traits exerted indirect effects on athletes’ emotional-social competence. Specifically, distress tolerance had a positive influence on ego strength, whereas the Dark Triad traits had a negative impact on ego strength. Ultimately, these changes in ego strength significantly affected the level of emotional-social competence among the athletes. These results highlight the critical role of ego strength as a key mediating variable linking personality traits to emotional-social abilities. Conclusion: Enhancing distress tolerance, teaching strategies to increase ego strength, and reducing tendencies toward negative personality traits can serve as effective approaches for improving athletes’ emotional-social functioning. Given that success in professional sports requires not only physical abilities but also interpersonal skills, resilience, and emotional regulation, it is recommended that emotional-social competence be integrated as an essential component of training and support programs within the athletic context

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