{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,26]],"date-time":"2026-08-26T05:20:28Z","timestamp":1787721628872,"version":"build-2784847793"},"reference-count":45,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,26]],"date-time":"2026-08-26T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1787702400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100015082","name":"Universidad Cat\u00f3lica de Valencia San Vicente M\u00e0rtir","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100015082","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Psychol."],"abstract":"<jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Background<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>The transition to higher education exposes first-year students to significant lifestyle changes and the challenges of a hyperconnected ecosystem, including the rapid integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI). While physical activity and digital flourishing are recognized as protective factors, their interaction with students' emotional competencies remains underexplored through non-linear, multidimensional approaches.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Objective<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>This study aimed to identify topological profiles among incoming university students based on lifestyle, digital flourishing, and AI usage, and to analyze differences in intrapersonal emotional intelligence across these distinct profiles.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>A cross-sectional study was conducted with 385 first-year students. Data on physical activity, digital flourishing, AI perceptions and usage, and emotional intelligence were collected using validated self-reported instruments. A person-centered topological approach using Self-Organizing Maps (SOM) and k-means clustering was employed to identify student profiles, followed by one-way ANOVA to evaluate differences in emotional attention, clarity, and repair.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>The SOM analysis successfully identified six distinct behavioral and psychosocial profiles. A clear divergence emerged between an adaptive profile (Cluster 6, characterized by active lifestyles, high digital flourishing, and instrumental AI use) and a vulnerable profile (Cluster 1, marked by relative physical inactivity and lower scores across digital dimensions). Crucially, the inferential analysis revealed that the profiles exhibited significant differences in their emotional competencies, with the adaptive profile showing significantly higher levels of emotional clarity and repair compared to the vulnerable group.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Conclusion<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Successful adaptation to the university and technological environment transcends the mere acquisition of isolated skills. Intrapersonal emotional intelligence acts as a key psychological factor differentiating adaptive from vulnerable student profiles, underscoring the potential benefit of holistic institutional interventions that simultaneously integrate the promotion of physical activity, digital wellbeing, and emotional competence.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.3389\/fpsyg.2026.1905299","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,26]],"date-time":"2026-08-26T04:43:07Z","timestamp":1787719387000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Assessing differences in emotional intelligence among lifestyle and AI usage profiles generated via Self-Organizing Maps in first-year university students"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"17","author":[{"given":"Luc\u00eda","family":"Alonso-Larza","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Psychology, Inclusive Education and Social and Community Development, Catholic University of Valencia \u201cSan Vicente M\u00e1rtir\u201d","place":["Valencia, Spain"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Roc\u00edo","family":"Fern\u00e1ndez-Piqueras","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of General Didactics, Educational Theory and Technological Innovation Catholic University of Valencia \u201cSan Vicente M\u00e1rtir\u201d","place":["Valencia, Spain"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Adoraci\u00f3n-Reyes","family":"Moliner Albero","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Personality, Treatments and Methodology, Faculty of Psychology, Universidad Cat\u00f3lica de Valencia \u201cSan Vicente M\u00e1rtir\u201d","place":["Valencia, Spain"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Adri\u00e0","family":"Marco-Ahull\u00f3","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Personality, Treatments and Methodology, Faculty of Psychology, Universidad Cat\u00f3lica de Valencia \u201cSan Vicente M\u00e1rtir\u201d","place":["Valencia, Spain"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1965","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,26]]},"reference":[{"key":"B1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"100149","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jjimei.2022.100149","article-title":"Effect of technostress on Psychological well-being of post-graduate students: a perspective and correlational study of Higher Education Management","volume":"3","author":"Asad","year":"2023","journal-title":"Int. J. Inform. Manag. Data Insights"},{"key":"B2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1154355","DOI":"10.3389\/fpsyg.2023.1154355","volume":"14","author":"Audrin","year":"2023"},{"key":"B3","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"623","DOI":"10.1037\/abn0000362","article-title":"WHO World Mental Health Surveys International College Student Project: Prevalence and distribution of mental disorders","volume":"127","author":"Auerbach","year":"2018","journal-title":"J. Abnorm. Psychol."},{"key":"B4","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"7239","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph19127239","article-title":"Do active commuters feel more competent and vital? A self-organizing maps analysis in university students","volume":"19","author":"Bachner","year":"2022","journal-title":"Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health"},{"key":"B5","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"42","DOI":"10.1186\/s41239-020-00218-x","article-title":"Can artificial intelligence transform higher education?","volume":"17","author":"Bates","year":"2020","journal-title":"Int. J. Educ. Technol. High. Educ."},{"key":"B6","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"552","DOI":"10.7334\/psicothema2016.383","article-title":"Non-normal data: is ANOVA still a valid option?","volume":"29","author":"Blanca","year":"2017","journal-title":"Psicothema"},{"key":"B7","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"29","DOI":"10.1186\/s40594-023-00418-7","article-title":"AI literacy in K-12: a systematic literature review","volume":"10","author":"Casal-Otero","year":"2023","journal-title":"IJ Stem Ed."},{"key":"B8","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"995785","DOI":"10.1080\/23311916.2014.995785","article-title":"A comparative analysis on artificial neural network-based two-stage clustering","volume":"2","author":"Chang","year":"2015","journal-title":"Cogent Eng."},{"key":"B9","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"2066","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph18042066","article-title":"A school-based randomized controlled trial to promote cycling to school in adolescents: the PACO study","volume":"18","author":"Chill\u00f3n","year":"2021","journal-title":"Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health"},{"key":"B10","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1381","DOI":"10.1249\/01.MSS.0000078924.61453.FB","article-title":"International physical activity questionnaire: 12-country reliability and validity","volume":"35","author":"Craig","year":"2003","journal-title":"Med. Sci. Sports Exerc."},{"key":"B11","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e46","DOI":"10.1192\/bjo.2020.24","article-title":"Predictors of mental health and academic outcomes in first-year university students: identifying prevention and early-intervention targets","volume":"6","author":"Duffy","year":"2020","journal-title":"BJPsych Open"},{"key":"B12","first-page":"42","article-title":"Spanish version of the Mayer-Salovey-Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test (MSCEIT). Version 2.0: reliabilities, age and gender differences","volume":"18","author":"Extremera","year":"2006","journal-title":"Psicothema"},{"key":"B13","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"751","DOI":"10.2466\/pr0.94.3.751-755","article-title":"Validity and reliability of the spanish modified version of the trait meta-mood scale","volume":"94","author":"Fernandez-Berrocal","year":"2004","journal-title":"Psychol. Rep."},{"key":"B14","author":"Field","year":"2018","journal-title":"Discovering Statistics Using IBM SPSS Statistics"},{"key":"B15","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"63","DOI":"10.13042\/Bordon.2021.89324","article-title":"Trait Meta-Mood Scale-24: estructura factorial, validez y confiabilidad en estudiantes universitarios argentinos","volume":"73","author":"Gonzalez","year":"2021","journal-title":"Bord\u00f3n. Rev. Pedag."},{"key":"B16","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"100165","DOI":"10.1016\/j.caeai.2023.100165","article-title":"What do university students know about Artificial Intelligence? Development and validation of an AI literacy test","volume":"5","author":"Hornberger","year":"2023","journal-title":"Comput. Educ.: Artif. Intell."},{"key":"B17","year":"2005","journal-title":"Guidelines for Data Processing and Analysis of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) \u2013 Short and Long Forms"},{"key":"B18","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1013","DOI":"10.1007\/s10902-023-00619-5","article-title":"Digital flourishing: conceptualizing and assessing positive perceptions of mediated social interactions","volume":"24","author":"Janicke-Bowles","year":"2023","journal-title":"J. Happiness Stud."},{"key":"B19","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"12451","DOI":"10.3390\/su151612451","article-title":"New era of artificial intelligence in education: towards a sustainable multifaceted revolution","volume":"15","author":"Kamalov","year":"2023","journal-title":"Sustainability"},{"key":"B20","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"23675","DOI":"10.1007\/s12144-024-06138-7","article-title":"Resilience and psychological distress in the transition to university: the mediating role of emotion regulation","volume":"43","author":"Mastrokoukou","year":"2024","journal-title":"Curr. Psychol."},{"key":"B21","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"320","DOI":"10.1017\/CBO9780511807947.019","article-title":"\u201cSelecting a measure of emotional intelligence: The case for ability scales,\u201d","author":"Mayer","year":"2000","journal-title":"The Handbook of Emotional Intelligence"},{"key":"B22","first-page":"3","article-title":"\u201cWhat is emotional intelligence?,\u201d","volume-title":"Emotional Development and Emotional Intelligence: Implications for Educators","author":"Mayer","year":"1997"},{"key":"B23","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"109","DOI":"10.1016\/j.glt.2025.02.003","article-title":"The significance of emotional intelligence in academic stress, resilience, and safe transition from high school to university: an SEM analysis among Northern Emirati university students","volume":"7","author":"Mohamed","year":"2025","journal-title":"Global Transitions"},{"key":"B24","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"83","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph16010083","article-title":"Built environment, psychosocial factors and active commuting to school in adolescents: clustering a self-organizing map analysis","volume":"16","author":"Molina-Garc\u00eda","year":"2018","journal-title":"Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health"},{"key":"B25","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"15899","DOI":"10.1038\/s41598-025-00651-w","article-title":"The relationship between physical activity, life satisfaction, emotional regulation, and physical self esteem among college students","volume":"15","author":"Nie","year":"2025","journal-title":"Sci. Rep."},{"key":"B26","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"492","DOI":"10.1177\/0049124116661576","article-title":"Visual data mining with self-organizing maps for \u201cself-monitoring\u201d data analysis","volume":"47","author":"Oliver","year":"2018","journal-title":"Sociol. Methods Res."},{"key":"B27","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1493566","DOI":"10.3389\/frai.2024.1493566","article-title":"Exploring the utilization and deficiencies of Generative Artificial Intelligence in students' cognitive and emotional needs: a systematic mini-review","volume":"7","author":"Ortega-Ochoa","year":"2024","journal-title":"Front. Artif. Intell."},{"key":"B28","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"102744","DOI":"10.1016\/j.pmedr.2024.102744","article-title":"Could physical activity alleviate smartphone addiction in university students? A systematic literature review","volume":"42","author":"Pirwani","year":"2024","journal-title":"Prev. Med. Rep."},{"key":"B29","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1660","DOI":"10.23736\/S0022-4707.17.06665-8","article-title":"Validation of three short physical activity questionnaires with accelerometers among university students in Spain","volume":"57","author":"Rodr\u00edguez-Mu\u00f1oz","year":"2017","journal-title":"J. Sports Med. Phys. Fitness"},{"key":"B30","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"125","DOI":"10.1037\/10182-006","article-title":"\u201cEmotional attention, clarity, and repair: exploring emotional intelligence using the Trait Meta-Mood Scale,\u201d","author":"Salovey","year":"1995","journal-title":"Emotion, Disclosure, and Health"},{"key":"B31","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"4474","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph17124474","article-title":"Benefits of physical activity and its associations with resilience, emotional intelligence, and psychological distress in university students from southern spain","volume":"17","author":"San Rom\u00e1n-Mata","year":"2020","journal-title":"Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health"},{"key":"B32","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1404","DOI":"10.1037\/pas0000269","article-title":"The factor structure and psychometric properties of the Spanish version of the Mayer-Salovey-Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test","volume":"28","author":"Sanchez-Garcia","year":"2016","journal-title":"Psychol. Assess."},{"key":"B33","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"255","DOI":"10.1186\/s12912-025-02852-0","article-title":"The mediating role of emotional intelligence in the relationship between technostress and burnout prevention among critical care nurses a structural equation modelling approach","volume":"24","author":"Shaban","year":"2025","journal-title":"BMC Nurs."},{"key":"B34","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"2753","DOI":"10.1017\/S1368980018001672","article-title":"Spanish adaptation and validation of the Child Food Security Survey Module (CFSSM-S)","volume":"21","author":"Shankar-Krishnan","year":"2018","journal-title":"Public Health Nutr."},{"key":"B35","first-page":"39","article-title":"Stress, anxiety, and psychological wellbeing in first year university students: changes over time","volume":"50","author":"Slykerman","year":"2021","journal-title":"NZ. J. Psychol."},{"key":"B36","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"100259","DOI":"10.1016\/j.caeai.2024.100259","article-title":"Perceptions and usage of AI chatbots among students in higher education across genders, academic levels and fields of study","volume":"7","author":"St\u00f6hr","year":"2024","journal-title":"Comput. Educ.: Artif. Intell."},{"key":"B37","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"508","DOI":"10.1007\/s44217-025-00914-8","article-title":"Generative AI integration in higher education shifts students' attitudes from tool use to innovation","volume":"4","author":"Suh","year":"2025","journal-title":"Discov. Educ."},{"key":"B38","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"100542","DOI":"10.1016\/j.caeai.2026.100542","article-title":"Empowering university teachers in higher education: a generative AI-responsive competency framework","volume":"10","author":"Sun","year":"2026","journal-title":"Comput. Educ.: Artif. Intell."},{"key":"B39","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1573","DOI":"10.3390\/bs15111573","article-title":"Emotional profiles and their relationship with the use of artificial intelligence in university students","volume":"15","author":"Suri\u00e1-Mart\u00ednez","year":"2025","journal-title":"Behav. Sci."},{"key":"B40","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"94","DOI":"10.3389\/feduc.2020.00094","article-title":"Preventing stress among undergraduate learners: the importance of emotional intelligence, resilience, and emotion regulation","volume":"5","author":"Thomas","year":"2020","journal-title":"Front. Educ."},{"key":"B41","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"5706","DOI":"10.37811\/cl_rcm.v9i2.17324","article-title":"Validaci\u00f3n de una escala sobre la percepci\u00f3n de la Inteligencia Artificial en la educaci\u00f3n superior","volume":"9","author":"Torres-Gastel\u00fa","year":"2025","journal-title":"Ciencia Latina Rev. Cient\u00edf. Multidiscipl."},{"key":"B42","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"771","DOI":"10.1007\/s12187-015-9339-x","article-title":"Psychometric validation of the revised family affluence scale: a latent variable approach","volume":"9","author":"Torsheim","year":"2016","journal-title":"Child. Ind. Res."},{"key":"B43","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1681753","DOI":"10.3389\/fpsyg.2025.1681753","article-title":"The relationship between physical activity and mental health among university students: a chain mediation effect of self-efficacy and emotion regulation","volume":"16","author":"Wang","year":"2025","journal-title":"Front. Psychol."},{"key":"B44","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"52","DOI":"10.1177\/1558866121995138","article-title":"Physical activity and associated constraints following the transition from high school to university","volume":"45","author":"Wilson","year":"2021","journal-title":"Recreat. Sports J."},{"key":"B45","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"23","DOI":"10.70478\/psicothema.2026.38.03","article-title":"Assessing positive digital experiences: a Spanish validation of the digital flourishing scale for adolescents","volume":"38","author":"Zarco-Alpuente","year":"2026","journal-title":"Psicothema"}],"container-title":["Frontiers in Psychology"],"original-title":[],"link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fpsyg.2026.1905299\/full","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,26]],"date-time":"2026-08-26T04:43:12Z","timestamp":1787719392000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fpsyg.2026.1905299\/full"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,26]]},"references-count":45,"alternative-id":["10.3389\/fpsyg.2026.1905299"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/fpsyg.2026.1905299","relation":{},"ISSN":["1664-1078"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1664-1078","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,26]]},"article-number":"1905299"}}