The role of coach-athlete relationship quality in team sport athletes' psychophysiological exhaustion: implications for physical and cognitive performance

Associations of abusive supervision among collegiate athletes from equity-deserving groups

OBJECTIVE

To examine differences in abusive/supportive coach supervision experienced by collegiate athletes across race/ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation and disability; determine the impact of coach characteristics on abusive supervision prevalence; and explore outcomes related to team culture, athlete autonomy, perceived coach leadership skills and perceived concern for athletes' well-being.

METHODS

Cross-sectional analysis of the 2021-2022 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) myPlaybook survey on 3317 athletes (aged ≥18 years). The survey captured self-reported demographics, sport type (team vs individual, lean vs non-lean) and multiple validated measures reflecting abusive/supportive coaching styles. Structural equation modelling identified associations while controlling for confounders.

RESULTS

Overall, 18.6% (n=618) of athletes reported some form of abusive supervision. After adjusting for covariates, participating in team sport (OR=1.10, 95% CI 1.03 to 1.17) and having a disability (OR=1.17, 95% CI 1.04 to 1.31) were associated with higher odds of reporting abusive supervision. No significant differences were found based on athlete race/ethnicity, gender identity or sexual orientation. Coaches demonstrating attentiveness to athletes' needs (OR=0.82, 95% CI 0.73 to 0.92) and respect for their input (OR=0.89, 95% CI 0.80 to 1.00) had lower odds of reported abusive supervision.

CONCLUSION

Nearly one-fifth of this NCAA cohort experienced abusive coach supervision. Disability and team sport participation were significantly associated with increased reports, whereas race/ethnicity, gender identity or sexual orientation showed no significant differences. In disabled and team sport athletes, sustained verbal/non-verbal abuse had a negative impact on athletes' perception of team culture, autonomy, coaches' leadership skills and coaches' concern for their well-being. Coaching and leadership styles remain critical educational targets for providing safe sport environments for all athletes.

Psychophysiological markers of athlete burnout: a call to arms

Burnout is a growing problem in high-performance sport and has negative consequences for athletes (e.g., mental ill-health). It is therefore important to effectively monitor athlete burnout to aid intervention efforts. While self-report measures are available (e.g., athlete burnout questionnaire), the limitations associated with these measures (e.g., social desirability bias) means that objective physiological markers may also be useful. Thus, this article critically discusses potential biomarkers of athlete burnout, drawing on research inside and outside of sport to offer an overview of the current state-of-the-art in this research area. First, it outlines what athlete burnout is, its deleterious consequences, and discusses existing psychological assessments. The article then critically discusses literature on hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (e.g., salivary cortisol) and autonomic nervous system (e.g., heart rate variability) indices of burnout, highlighting some promising biomarkers for future research (e.g., salivary cortisol at bedtime, vagally-mediated heart rate variability at rest). Finally, the article concludes by highlighting key considerations and offering recommendations for future research (e.g., use of more homogenous methods in assessing burnout and physiological parameters). As a result, the intention of this article is to spark more higher quality research on the psychophysiology of athlete burnout, thereby helping tackle this prominent issue in high-performance sport.

How coach leadership behavior influences athletes' performance: the chain-mediated role of the coach-athlete relationship and psychological fatigue

Objective

Athletes' psychological quality and competitive level are deeply influenced by coaches' leadership behavior. It is of far-reaching significance to systematically investigate the relationship between them for carrying out scientific training and improving athletes' competitive level. This study aims to investigate the relationships among coach leadership behavior, the coach-athlete relationship, psychological fatigue, and athletes' performance, providing insights into enhancing athletes' sports performance.

Methods

Using simple random sampling, 556 athletes (44.60% female) were recruited from professional training teams in the Xinjiang and Shanxi provinces of China as the study sample. The sample includes 47 s-class national athletes, 276 first-class national athletes, 171 master-class athletes, and 62 international-level athletes. Data were collected through offline surveys using the Coach Leadership Behavior Scale, the Tennis Performance Scale, the Coach-Athlete Relationship Questionnaire, and the Athlete Psychological Fatigue Questionnaire.

Results

Democratic leadership behavior, autocratic leadership behavior, training and instruction behavior, social support behavior, and positive feedback behavior are positively correlated with the "coach-athlete" relationship and athlete performance, and negatively correlated with psychological fatigue. The "coach-athlete" relationship and psychological fatigue can serve as both simple mediators and chain mediators between democratic leadership behavior, autocratic leadership behavior, training and instruction behavior, social support behavior, positive feedback behavior, and athlete performance.

Conclusion

This study systematically explored the complex relationships among coach leadership behavior, the coach-athlete relationship, psychological fatigue, and athletes' sports performance. The findings suggest that positive coach leadership behavior may contribute to the development of athletes' performance. Furthermore, the study underscores the significance of the coach-athlete relationship and psychological fatigue as key mechanisms through which coach leadership behavior influences athletes' sports performance.

Effects of coaches' autonomy support on athletes' aggressive behavior and athlete burnout: verification of the mediating effects of coach-athlete relationship and team efficacy

Purpose

This study investigated the relationships between perceived autonomy support, coach-athlete relationship, team efficacy, aggressive behavior, and athlete burnout among team sports athletes. It verified the mediating effects of the coach-athlete relationship and team efficacy on the relationship between autonomy support and athlete burnout.

Design methodology and approach

A questionnaire survey on autonomy support, coach-athlete relationships, aggressive behavior, and athlete burnout was administered to 336 team sports athletes (292 male athletes and 44 female athletes). A cross-sectional research design was used to collect the data. To analyze the collected data, frequency, reliability, descriptive statistical, and correlation analyses were performed using SPSS version 26.0. In addition, confirmatory factor analysis, convergent validity tests, and structural model analysis were conducted using AMOS version 24.0. Bootstrapping was used to examine the mediating effects.

Results

The fit of the measurement model was assessed by calculating the fit indices as follows: x 2 = 329.689, df = 124, p < 0.001, TLI = 0.945, CFI = 0.956, RMSEA = 0.070 (90% CI = 0.061-0.080), and SRMR = 0.060. Autonomy support positively affected the coach-athlete relationship (β = 0.841) and team efficacy (β = 0.338). The coach-athlete relationship positively affected team efficacy (β = 0.479). Furthermore, autonomy support did not significantly influence aggressive behavior (β = -0.053), and negatively affected athlete burnout (β = -0.305). The coach-athlete relationship also did not significantly affect aggressive behavior (β = 0.054), and negatively affected athlete burnout (β = -0.303). Team efficacy negatively affected aggressive behavior (β = -0.516) and athlete burnout (β = -0.201). Finally, autonomy support was found to affect athlete burnout through the coach-athlete relationship and team efficacy.

Conclusion

Considering that autonomy support affects athlete burnout through coach-athlete relationship and team efficacy, coaches need to enhance the quality of the coach-athlete relationship and improve team efficacy to reduce athlete burnout. Above all, the study findings suggest that coaches need to provide autonomy-supportive behaviors.

How expressive ties energize competitive performance in DanceSport dyads: unraveling the role of athlete engagement in an innovatively applied actor-partner interdependence mediation model

Objectives

This study explores the significant impact of expressive ties (EI) between DanceSport couples on their competitive performance (CP). Utilizing a dyadic approach, we examined the performance achievement processes of DanceSport couples in relation to their EI.

Methods

Participants comprised 67 dyads of Chinese elite dancers aged between 16 and 30 years. The dyadic analysis was carried out using a structural equation model based on the actor-partner interdependence mediation model.

Results

With regard to actor effects, both male (β  =  0.292, p =  0.012) and female (β  =  0.443, p <  0.001) dancers' perceived quality of EI had a positive correlation with CP. The males' athlete engagement (AE) partially mediated the impact of EI on CP [indirect effect  =  0.144, SE  =  0.072, 95% confidence intervals (CI)  =  0.020, 0.283]. Regarding partner effects, females' perceived EI quality positively influenced the male's CP (β  =  0.26, p =  0.023) and mediated this association through the male's AE [indirect effect  =  0.086, SE  =  0.041, 95% confidence intervals (CI)  =  0.003, 0.149]. Similarly, the females' AE mediated the effect of males' perceived EI quality on the females' CP [indirect effect  =  0.152, SE  =  0.074, 95% confidence intervals (CI) =0.002, 0.256].

Conclusion

We not only validated the propositions of the self-determination theory but also provided valuable insights to further enrich it. Our findings underscore that self-determination theory must account for individual gender characteristics.

Associations between stress, resources, and hair cortisol concentration in teachers

Challenging interactions are the main source of teacher' stress in the classroom. We investigated the association of chronic stress and characteristics of teacher-student interactions with teachers' Hair Cortisol Concentration (HCC). Forty-one teachers (27 women; Mage = 39.65 ± 12.14 years; Mlesson number = 23.15 ± 3.99 lessons per week; grade: elementary, secondary, high, and vocational school teachers) participated in the present study, with participation lasting over the length of one year. HCC was assessed from a 3 cm hair segment near the scalp. Self-reported chronic stress in the last three months was further assessed using the 'Trier Inventory for Chronic Stress' (TICS). Additionally, four consecutive, same-day lectures of each teacher were videotaped and coded offline in an event sampling procedure by trained external observers. The videos were analyzed for two stressors, i.e., classroom disruptions and total student aggression, as well as two resources, i.e., teacher-student relationship and classroom management. Overall, hair samples were collected M = 120.34 days (SD = 84.39) after the distribution of the questionnaires, and M = 67.63 days (SD = 18.40) prior to the observations. Lesson number, classroom disruptions, as well as total student aggression were all significantly positively correlated with HCC. In addition, both teacher-student relationship and classroom management were significantly negatively related to HCC. With regard to self-rated chronic stress, only the TICS subscale 'Pressure to perform' was positively related to HCC. Exploratory moderation analyses revealed that an increasingly good, observed teacher-student relationship buffered the positive association between lesson number and HCC. Our findings show significant associations between HCC and mainly objectively assessable stress, supporting HCC as a biological indicator of chronic stress. In this association, a good relationship between teachers and students acts as a buffer. While the findings underline the importance of examining objective and behavioral data for better understanding the psychobiology of stress, they also support the importance of boostering teachers' (social) resources to increase their overall resilience.

Reliability and validity of the Chinese version of the Athletes' Received Support Questionnaire

Objective

The aim of this study was to translate the Athletes' Received Support Questionnaire (ARSQ) for Chinese athletes and examine the reliability and validity of the ARSQ with Chinese subjects.

Methods

In this study, we conducted a forward-backward translation of the ARSQ and used data collected from Chinese athletes to perform exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses. A total of 580 Chinese athletes completed the formal ARSQ for the confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), while 230 athletes participated in the preliminary survey. Of the 580 athletes, 571 provided valid questionnaires for assessing validity and reliability. Additionally, we assessed test-retest reliability using data from 200 participants randomly selected after 1 month. The criterion measurement used in this study was the Social Support Rate Scale (SSRS).

Results

Results of the exploratory factor analysis showed that the Chinese version of the ARSQ with 22 items had four-dimensional structures including emotional support, esteem support, information support, and tangible support. CFA showed that the Chinese version of the ARSQ had adequate structural validity (χ2/df = 2.315, CFI = 0.971, GFI = 0.902, NFI = 0.959, AGFI = 0.878, RMSEA = 0.064, SRMR = 0.032). Cronbach's α coefficient, McDonald's omega coefficient and the test-retest reliability were 0.956, 0.957, and 0.953 for the total scale.

Conclusion

The study provides evidence in support of construct (factorial) validity, convergent validity, internal-consistency and test-retest stability for the use of the ARSQ among Chinese athletes in the Jiangsu and Shandong Provinces, China. However, it is important to note that the conclusion is delimited to the current context, and further studies are needed to verify and promote the applicability of the ARSQ in other regions and sports projects.

A Holistic Analysis of Team Dynamics Using Relational Coordination as the Measure regarding Student Athlete Total Load: A Cross-Sectional Study

BACKGROUND

Despite its small population, Norway wins a disproportionately large number of medals in international competitions. Therefore, it has been thought that the Norwegian sports model and sports school programs are influential in developing young Norwegian athletes to achieve such results. Today, more than 110 Norwegian private and public schools offer the elite sports program in Norway. Most student athletes attending those schools combine their high school education with elite sports, where they attend training sessions at both school and clubs. The number of people involved with the student athlete on a daily basis (i.e., other student athletes, club coaches, school coaches, schoolteachers, parents, and health personnel) indicate the importance of optimal communication and coordination. However, to the authors' knowledge, no previous studies have explored communication and coordination among this population group. Therefore, the primary objective of this study was to use a holistic analysis of team dynamics using the Relational Coordination Survey as a measure to explore the relational coordination within and between student athletes, club coaches, and school coaches. A secondary objective of this study was to explore student athletes', club coaches', and school coaches' relational coordination with schoolteachers, parents, and health personnel. In addition, the study aimed to explore differences in student athletes' relational coordination with their significant others according to sport, school, performance level, sex, and school year.

METHODS

The quality of relational coordination was measured by a cross-sectional questionnaire of student athletes (n = 345), club coaches (n = 42), and school coaches (n = 25) concerning training load and life load. Multiple one-way analyses of variance were used to assess differences between groups.

RESULTS

The results show that student athletes, club coaches, and school coaches perceived moderate to weak relational coordination with parents, schoolteachers, and health personnel. Student athletes' relational coordination score with parents was the only strong score observed. Furthermore, the results reveal notable differences in student athletes' relational coordination with the roles according to their characteristics.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings suggest a potential for enhancing relationships and communication within and between the significant roles involved with student athletes. The results further indicate that those involved with the student athlete should consider a holistic approach to enhance communication and coordination, including physical, psychological, and other life factors, for optimal student athlete management and development. More resources are necessary to facilitate effective communication and coordination regarding the student athlete's total load.

The role of quality relationships and communication strategies for the fulfilment of secure and insecure athletes' basic psychological needs

The correlates of coach-athlete relationship quality have been the focus of research for over a decade; however, little is known about the mediating and moderating mechanisms underlying these associations. The present study conducted a moderated mediation analysis to examine (a) the mediating role of communication strategies (via COMPASS) on the association between the quality of the coach-athlete relationship and athlete psychological needs satisfaction and (b) whether individual differences in athletes' attachment style (secure, anxious, avoidant) moderates the mediational relationship. 350 Swedish athletes representing a range of sports and competition levels completed a multi-section questionnaire. Mediation and moderation analysis partially found that coach-athlete relationship quality and athletes basic psychological needs were associated via the COMPASS strategies of support, motivation, assurance and openness. It was also found that athletes secure attachment with their coach significantly moderated the mediated effects of motivation and support. These findings highlight the practical utility of motivation, support, openness and assurance strategies in enhancing the quality of the coach-athlete relationship. Moreover, these findings demonstrate that the attachment orientation of athletes towards their coaches play a significant role in determining what communication strategies to use to enhance both the relationship quality and an athlete's competence, autonomy and relatedness.

INFLUENCE OF HIGH-INTENSITY TRAINING ON THE TAEKWONDO ATHLETES’ PERFORMANCE

ABSTRACT Introduction: Taekwondo athletes’ performance is affected by their level of physical fitness. High-level athletes must have good physical fitness to perform difficult techniques and complex sets of movements with high specificity. Objective: Verify the influence of high-intensity training on fitness levels for the selection and daily training of taekwondo athletes in colleges and universities. Methods: In this study, 47 high-level taekwondo athletes from the Capital Institute of Physical Education were considered and statistically analyzed employing literature, expert interview, tests, mathematical statistics, and logical analysis. The factors influencing physical fitness were determined. Results: Five first-level, nine second-level, and 15 third-level test indicators based on the combination of general fitness and specific fitness of athletes were determined. Fitness test analysis was performed before and after 12 weeks of daily high-intensity training demonstrating that the athletes’ physical quality showed an upward trend, especially in terms of strength, endurance, and flexibility. Still, speed and agility showed no statistical change. Conclusion: Fitness training of high-level taekwondo athletes should be combined with particular techniques, focusing on training the five qualities of strength, speed, endurance, agility, and flexibility. It is recommended to individually plan the training cycle and intensity of each training session, to carry out a targeted training plan, and to ensure a training plan with regularity. Level of evidence II; Therapeutic studies - investigation of treatment outcomes.

Self-organized Learning from Synthetic and Real-World Data for a Humanoid Exercise Robot

We propose a neural learning approach for a humanoid exercise robot that can automatically analyze and correct physical exercises. Such an exercise robot should be able to train many different human partners over time and thus requires the ability for lifelong learning. To this end, we develop a modified Grow-When-Required (GWR) network with recurrent connections, episodic memory and a novel subnode mechanism for learning spatiotemporal relationships of body movements and poses. Once an exercise is successfully demonstrated, the information of pose and movement per frame is stored in the Subnode-GWR network. For every frame, the current pose and motion pair is compared against a predicted output of the GWR, allowing for feedback not only on the pose but also on the velocity of the motion. Since both the pose and motion depend on a user's body morphology, the exercise demonstration by one individual cannot easily be used as a reference for further users. We allow the GWR to grow online with each further demonstration. The subnode mechanism ensures that exercise information for individual humans is stored and retrieved correctly and is not forgotten over time. In the application scenario, a physical exercise is performed in the presence of an expert like a physiotherapist and then used as a reference for a humanoid robot like Pepper to give feedback on further executions of the same exercise. For evaluation, we developed a new synthetic exercise dataset with virtual avatars. We also test our method on real-world data recorded in an office scenario. Overall, we claim that our novel GWR-based architecture can use a learned exercise reference for different body variations through incremental online learning while preventing catastrophic forgetting, enabling an engaging long-term human-robot experience with a humanoid robot.

Preliminary Psychometric Validation of the Teammate Burnout Questionnaire

The aim of the present study was to provide support for the validation of the Teammate Burnout Questionnaire (TBQ). Athletes from a variety of team sports (N = 290) completed the TBQ and the Athlete Burnout Questionnaire (ABQ). Confirmatory factor analysis revealed acceptable fit indexes for the three-dimensional models (i.e., physical and emotional exhaustion, sport devaluation, reduced accomplishment) of the TBQ and the ABQ. Multi-trait multi-method analysis revealed that the TBQ and ABQ showed acceptable convergent and discriminant validity. The preliminary validation of the TBQ indicates the utility of the scale to reflect athletes’ perceptions of their teammates’ burnout and offers researchers the opportunity to quantitatively assess an important aspect of the social environment in the development of athlete burnout.

The role of the relationship with the coach in the group environment of school sports

The relationship between coach and athlete has been identified as a key factor for several positive outcomes in the sports context. Thus, the aims of this study were to analyze the association between the quality of the coach-athlete relationship (CAR) and the perception of team cohesion of youth athletes. Participants were 301 athletes, aged 15 to 17 years, who participated in the School Games of Pernambuco, Brazil. The instruments used were the Coach-Athlete Relationship Questionnaire (CART-Q) and the Group Environment Questionnaire (GEQ). Data analysis was conducted through the Structural Equation Modeling (p< .05) with team cohesion, explaining 25% of the variance of task cohesion and 15% of social cohesion. Specifically, the effect of CAR on task (β = 0.50) and social (β = 0.39) cohesion was significant (p<.05) and positive. It was concluded that the quality of CAR is a key factor for the engagement of the adolescent with the teamwork and its goals as well as for the development of positive interpersonal relationships. ><.05) and positive. It was concluded that the quality of CAR is a key factor for the engagement of the adolescent with the teamwork and its goals as well as for the development of positive interpersonal relationships.  

Athlete Burnout Symptoms Are Increasing: A Cross-Temporal Meta-Analysis of Average Levels From 1997 to 2019

With the increasing prevalence of mental health difficulties in sport, athletes may be at greater risk of burnout than ever before. In the present study, we tested this possibility by examining whether average athlete burnout levels have changed over the past 2 decades, from 1997 to 2019. A literature search returned 91 studies (N = 21,012) and 396 effect sizes. Findings from cross-temporal meta-analysis suggested that burnout symptoms have increased over the past 2 decades. Specifically, we found that athletes' mean levels of reduced sense of athletic accomplishment and sport devaluation have increased. As burnout symptoms are now typically higher among athletes than in the past, we can expect more athletes to be prone to the negative effects of burnout. Sport is therefore in urgent need of prevention and intervention strategies to stop and reverse this trend.

Burnout, Presenteeism and Workplace Conditions of Korean Taekwondo Coaches of High-Performance Athletes

Coaching is a stressful occupation, with expectations that are physically and psychologically demanding. Coaches are highly susceptible to occupational burnout and presenteeism, which ultimately affects the entire sporting community. In this study, coaching stress was evaluated by surveying taekwondo coaches to analyze the contributions of unique cultural predispositions and workplace conditions (environmental) to coach stress, burnout, and presenteeism. We verified the positive correlation between workplace conditions, burnout, and presenteeism for 210 taekwondo coaches; performed frequency, correlation, and confirmatory analysis using the compiled data; and the discussed the results within the framework of a formulated structural equation model. The research results are as follows. First, the workplace conditions of taekwondo coaches had a negative effect on burnout syndrome. Second, the workplace conditions of taekwondo coaches had a negative effect on presenteeism. Lastly, burnout of taekwondo coaches had a significant effect on presenteeism. Therefore, coaches' burnout decreases as their workplace conditions improve, and presenteeism decreases as their burnout increases in controlled workplace conditions.

Plasma microRNA-320a as a Potential Biomarker of Physiological Changes during Training in Professional Volleyball Players

A deeper insight into the mechanisms responsible for athlete performance that may serve as specific and detailed training indicators is still desired, because conventionally used biomarkers provide limited information about the adaptive processes that occur during exercise. The objective of our study was to assess insulin-like growth factor 1 receptors (IGF1R) gene expression and evaluate plasma concentration of selected microRNAs (miRNAs) during a 10-week training period (sampling times: week 1, 4, 7, and 10) in a group of 12 professional female volleyball players. Circulating miRNAs (miR-223, miR-320a, and miR-486) with established concentration in plasma and documented association with the IGF1 signaling pathway, which is involved in muscle development and recovery, were tested. The levels of analyzed miRNAs, tested by one-way ANOVA, were significantly different between four training periods during a 10-week training cycle (miR-223 p < 0.0001, miR-320a p = 0.00021, miR-486 p = 0.0037, respectively). The levels of IGF1R also appeared to be different (p = 0.00092), and their expression showed a trend to increase between the first and third periods. In the fourth period, the expression decreased, although it was higher compared with the baseline. Correlations between concentration levels of miR-223 and miR-320a (rs = 0.54, p < 0.001), as well as between miR-320a and miR-486 (rs = 0.73, p < 0.001) were also found. In the fourth period, a negative correlation between miR-223 plasma level and leucocyte IGF1R expression was found (rs = -0.63, p = 0.028). Multiple linear regression analysis showed that miR-320a (p = 0.024) and creatine kinase (p = 0.028) had the greatest impact on the expression levels of the IGF1R gene. Future studies are required to define whether these miRNAs, especially miR-320a, as well as IGF1R expression could be useful biomarkers of physiological changes during exercise and to discover their detailed biological roles in mode-specific exercise training adaptations of professional athletes.

Findings from a web content analysis of resources targeting sporting coaches aimed at educating or upskilling on eating disorders and disordered eating in athletes

BACKGROUND

Eating disorders (ED) and disordered eating (DE) are highly prevalent in athletes. Coaches can play a role in the prevention of EDs and DE behaviours and are well placed to support athletes with an ED. However, coaches feel under-qualified and lack time and resources for supporting athletes and it is unclear the quality of training and resources available to upskill coaches in this space. Therefore, a web-based content analysis was undertaken to determine the type and source of online education resources currently available to coaches to help identify, prevent, manage and refer on for ED/DE behaviours.

METHODS

Three major search engines were searched using a combination of the following terms: (1) DE or ED resource and (2) coaches or sport. Included websites were specific for DE/EDs in athletes; targeted at coaches or sporting organisations; written in the English language; and published by a reputable site.

RESULTS

Twenty four out of 600 websites met inclusion criteria. The main reasons for exclusion were irreputable sites and websites not targeting coaches. The majority of included webpages were from professional bodies (n = 17) and targeted coaches (n = 24) and sporting organisations (n = 15), with an average quality rating of 4.2 out of 6. All websites provided educational resources but none provided official training. The most common topics discussed on these websites was ED/DE signs and symptoms (n = 17), and the effects of ED/DE on performance, mental and physical health (n = 11).

CONCLUSION

Few reputable online resources were identified in the current review. There is a need for more comprehensive education and training resources aimed at coaches and athletic organisations to help prevent, identify, manage and refer on for ED/DE behaviours.

Effects of a Mentor Program for Coaches on the Coach-Athlete Relationship

The present study was designed to explore the effects of a one-year coach education program on coaches’ perceptions of their communication skills and co-orientation of their coach-athlete relationships. The study was designed with an experimental group and a control group. The experiment group consisted of 66 coaches (and 295 athletes) who received formal mentoring and the control group consisted of 41 coaches (and 148 athletes) who did not receive any mentoring. Data were analysed using structural equation modelling with autoregressive cross-lagged analysis. Results from the self-reported questionnaire at pre-test and post-test showed that the reciprocity of the coach-athlete relationships was not statistically significant. However, coaches’ experience of change in attention skills from the pre-test to the post-test positively predicted changes in their own perception of the coach-athlete relationship, whereas this association was not significant in the athletes’ perceptions. Moreover, the coach education programme increased coaches’ perception of their relational bonds with their athletes, but this increase did not correspond with an increase in athletes’ perception of the relational bonds with their coach. Practical implications and suggestions for further research are discussed in light of these findings.

Is Perceived Athlete Leadership Quality Related to Inside Sacrifice and Perceived Performance in Team Sports? The Mediating Role of Team Identification

The study aimed to analyze the relationship between athletes' perceptions of athlete leadership quality, team identification, inside sacrifice, and performance. A total of 299 players of collective sports (soccer, beach soccer, basketball, volleyball; M age 19.05, SD = 5.10) participated through a cross-sectional design survey. Data were analyzed using structural equation modeling. Results highlight the positive relationships between perceived quality of athlete leaders, inside sacrifice, and perceived performance, and between inside sacrifice and perceived performance. Furthermore, inside sacrifice perceived by the athletes was a positive mediator between perceived athlete leadership quality and perceived performance. Also, team identification was a positive mediator in the association between inside sacrifice and perceived performance. These findings extend knowledge about the athlete leadership quality context. These results can also be useful for further research and implications in team sports' performance, as coaches and sports psychologists would have more information about their teams' perceptions of leadership quality to achieve positive outcomes in players' inside sacrifice and performance. The findings also highlight the importance of developing team identification to improve the relationships between perceived athlete leadership quality, inside sacrifice, and perceived performance.

Bringing human-animal interaction to sport: Potential impacts on athletic performance

To gain an edge in performance, athletes, coaches, trainers, and sport psychologists worldwide leverage findings from psychological research to develop training and performance strategies. The field of sport psychology draws upon research on stress, anxiety, mindfulness, and team building to develop these strategies. Here, we introduce human-animal interaction as a potential area of research that may apply to athletic performance. Structured interactions with animals-particularly therapy dogs-can provide physiological benefits associated with stress and the oxytocin system, psychological benefits for anxiety and motivation, and social benefits through social support. Yet these effects have not yet been systematically investigated in athletes. Integration of human-animal interactions into athletics can occur through animal visitation programmes and resident therapy animal programmes. Integrating human-animal interactions into athletics presents some unique challenges and limitations that must be considered before implementing these programmes, and these interactions are not a panacea that will work in every situation. But, given the amount of human-animal interaction research suggesting benefits in medicine, mental health, and education contexts, it is worthwhile exploring potential benefits not just for athletic performance, but also for injury prevention and recovery.HighlightsHuman-animal interaction is a potential area of research that may apply to athletic performance.Structured interactions with animals can provide physiological, psychological, and social benefits to athletes, through it is not a panacea that will work in every situation.Integrating human-animal interactions into athletics presents some unique challenges and limitations that must be considered before implementing these programs.

Developmental Differences in Burnout Among High School Athletes in the United States: A Gendered Perspective

Building on recent research examining athlete burnout trajectories, this study implemented the developmental model of sport participation to compare emotional and physical exhaustion, reduced sense of accomplishment, and sport devaluation between age groups (specializing [aged 13–15 years] vs. investment [aged 16–18 years]) and gender (boys vs. girls) among U.S. high school athletes. Participants were 367 high school athletes (M = 15.53; 212 males; 186 specializing) across various individual and team sports who completed a survey assessing their demographic information, sport backgrounds, and burnout perceptions. A 2 × 2 multivariate analysis of covariance, controlling for training hours, showed greater emotional and physical exhaustion and sport devaluation in the investment than the specializing group, but no developmental differences in reduced sense of accomplishment. Contrary to our hypothesis, no gender or interaction effects were found. Findings inform interventions and future research that address the role of developmental stages and gender in athlete burnout.

Compassionate Coach and Psychological Quality of Life in Portuguese Athletes: Effect of Mediating Variables

This study aimed to test a model that hypothesized that the compassionate coach, as perceived by the athletes, has an impact on athlete-related social safeness and psychological health, through shame and self-criticism. The sample comprised 270 Portuguese adult athletes, who practiced different competitive sports. The path analysis results confirmed the adequacy of the proposed model, which explained 45% of the psychological health’s variance. Results demonstrated that athletes who perceive their coaches as more compassionate tend to present higher levels of social safeness (feelings of belonging to the team) and of psychological health, through lower levels of shame and self-criticism. These novel findings suggest the importance of the adoption of supportive, warm, safe, and compassionate attitudes from coaches in athletes’ mental health. This study also offers important insights by suggesting that feelings of acceptance and connectedness in team relationships may be at the root of athletes’ emotional processes and well-being.

Digital Twin Coaching for Physical Activities: A Survey

Digital Twin technology has been rising in popularity thanks to the popularity of machine learning in the last decade. As the life expectancy of people around the world is increasing, so is the focus on physical activity to remain healthy especially in the current times where people are staying sedentary while in quarantine. This article aims to provide a survey on the field of Digital Twin technology focusing on machine learning and coaching techniques as they have not been explored yet. We also define what Digital Twin Coaching is and categorize the work done so far in terms of the objective of the physical activity. We also list common Digital Twin Coaching characteristics found in the articles reviewed in terms of concepts such as interactivity, privacy and security and also detail future perspectives in multimodal interaction and standardization, to name a few, that can guide researchers if they choose to work in this field. Finally, we provide a diagram for the Digital Twin Ecosystem showing the interaction between relevant entities and the information flow as well as an idealization of an ideal Digital Twin Ecosystem for team sports’ athlete tracking.

The Influence of Positive Emotion and Sports Hope on Pre-competition State Anxiety in Martial Arts Players

Objectives

The present study proposes a model for the relationships among competitive martial arts players’ positive emotions, hope (path and emotive force ideas), sense of control, self-handicapping, and precompetition state anxiety (PCSA). The model seeks to advance our understanding around the causal and mediating effects between these variables and, thus, has important implications for theory and practice in the field of sports and exercise psychology.

Method

A total of 327 participants (male: 255, female: 72; age: 21.45 ± 2.78 years; athletic training: 6.27 ± 2.54 years) in the China University Wushu Sanda Championship 2019 were surveyed. Within 2 h before the match, PCSA, sports hope, sense of control, anxiety, and self-handicapping were measured.

Results

The findings of the present study showed that (1) positive emotions have a significant positive correlation with path and emotive force ideas, anxiety orientation, ability to cope, goal attainment, and sense of control; (2) path and emotive force ideas were significantly positively correlated with anxiety orientation, ability to cope, goal attainment, and sense of control and significantly negatively correlated with anxiety intensity and self-handicapping; and (3) the path idea acted as a partial negative mediator between positive emotion and anxiety intensity, and the sense of control played a partial negative mediator between the emotive force idea and self-handicapping.

Conclusion

(1) Players’ positive emotions can predict the sense of hope. It also tends to interpret the anxiety intensity as a positive challenge rather than a negative sense of control. (2) Players with a higher path idea also tend to have lower negative emotion, anxiety intensity, and self-handicapping; (3) martial arts players’ path idea has a significantly higher predictive power for the sense of control than the emotive force idea. Still, both path and emotive force ideas can indirectly affect the intensity of anxiety orientation and self-handicapping through the multiple mediators of sense of control. Finally, recommendations for coaches related to training and preparation for competition are discussed.

Basic Psychological Needs and Sports Satisfaction Among Brazilian Athletes and Coaches: The Mediating Role of the Dyadic Relationship

Even though sport satisfaction has proved an important element for youngsters to keep practicing sports, little is known on the sport satisfaction of coaches. Moreover, the coach-athlete relationship is acknowledged as a key element for sport success, but whether its importance is the same for coaches and athletes is yet to be investigated. Our study analyzed the mediating role of the coach-athlete relationship in associating the satisfaction of basic psychological needs and sport satisfaction of Brazilian coaches and athletes. 364 coaches and athletes participated in the study representing 182 dyads from different sports according to the following instruments: Basic Needs Satisfaction Sport Scale (BNSSS), Coach-Athlete Relationship Questionnaire, athlete and coach versions (CART-Q), and the Athletic Satisfaction Questionnaire (ASQ). Data analysis followed a Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) with a significance level of p < 0.05, generating results in which the mediating model for coaches was not adequately fit, while the direct model, without mediation, was adequately fit and explained 48% of sport satisfaction variance. For athletes, the mediating model has shown adequate fit and explained 81% of the sport satisfaction variance, leading us to conclude that the quality of the coach-athlete relationship can be considered a determining factor for the satisfaction of young Brazilian athletes' basic psychological needs as well as sport satisfaction, but proved not as relevant to their coaches.

Communication Strategies: The Fuel for Quality Coach-Athlete Relationships and Athlete Satisfaction

The present two-study paper examined the role of communication strategies that athletes use to develop their coach-athlete relationship. Study 1 examined the mediating role of motivation, support, and conflict management strategies between the quality of the coach-athlete relationship and athletes' perceptions of sport satisfaction. Study 2 examined the longitudinal and mediational associations of communication strategies and relationship quality across two time points, over a 6-week period. Within both studies, data were collected through multi-section questionnaires assessing the studies' variables. For study 1, structural equation modeling highlighted significant indirect effects for motivation and support strategies between the quality of the coach-athlete relationship and athletes' experiences of sport satisfaction. For study 2, significant indirect effects were found for the athletes' perceptions of the quality of the coach-athlete relationship at time 2 between athletes' use of communication strategies at time point 1 and time point 2. Together these findings provide support for the practical utility of communications strategies in enhancing the quality of the coach-athlete relationship and athlete's experiences of sport satisfaction. In addition, the findings provide evidence to highlight the potential cyclical relationship between communication and relationship quality across time.

Alpine Ski Coaches' and Athletes' Perceptions of Factors Influencing Adaptation to Stress in the Classroom and on the Slopes

Research examining the student-athlete experience proposes a number of factors that can be both sources of stress and/or support. The dual career pathway offers a number of potential positive outcomes including psychological, social, and financial benefits; however, challenges including time management, fatigue, and restricted social activities are well documented. In consideration of the multidimensional student-athlete experience and the numerous factors that influence the complexity of potential stress, a mixed methods research study design was used in the study. First, data collected from surveys completed by 173 elite junior alpine skiers were analyzed to identify the degree to which athletes report experiencing stress associated with specific aspects pertaining to training, life, and organizational factors. These factors were then explored through semi-structured interviews with six coaches at the associated national elite sport schools. Taken collectively, athletes' reports of psychophysiological training stress on the Multidimensional Training Distress Scale were low. Scores on the college student-athletes' life stress scale revealed very low levels of general life stress; although the subscales associated with "performance demand" and "academic requirements" scored marginally higher. Scores on the Organizational Stressor Indicator for Sport Performers indicated low levels of organizational stress. The interviews with coaches elucidated the underlying factors potentially influencing athletes' positive adaptations to stress as they reported programming a number of strategies to reduce negative outcomes. Coaches aimed to teach athletes self-awareness and regulation strategies through the use of the training diaries and ongoing communication to promote positive adaptation to stress. A number of coaches also worked with sport psychology consultants to optimize athletes' training and study situations. Traditionally, research has noted high levels of stress in student-athletes due to co-occurring demands (school & sport); however, the data in the present study suggests that optimizing support mechanisms across domains can promote positive adaptations to potential sources of stress.

How many leaders does it take to lead a sports team? The relationship between the number of leaders and the effectiveness of professional sports teams

This study aimed to analyze the number of task, social and external athlete leaders within sports teams, and to examine the effectiveness of different leadership structures in male and female teams. The participants were 317 male and 214 female soccer players belonging to 18 teams playing in the third highest male division and to 13 teams playing in the highest female division in Spain, respectively. First, we identified the leadership structure in each team (i.e., having zero, one, two or three leaders); second, we grouped the teams according to these leadership structures; and third, MANOVA was used to compare different leadership groups in terms of their effectiveness. The results demonstrated that: (a) the most common structure within the teams was to have one task leader, one social leader, and two external leaders; (b) shared leadership across and within leadership roles was seen as the most effective leadership structure for male and female teams; and (c) male teams showed more benefits when having more task and external leaders, while female teams experienced more benefits when having more task and social leaders on the team. Based on these findings, coaches can optimize their team's functioning by implementing a structure of shared leadership within their teams, both across and within the different leadership roles.

Motivational Climate in Sport Is Associated with Life Stress Levels, Academic Performance and Physical Activity Engagement of Adolescents

The present study sought to define and contrast an explanatory model incorporating motivational climate towards sport, life stress, academic performance, and engagement in physical activity, and to analyze the existing relationships between these variables as a function of sex. A total of 2452 adolescents of both sexes (42.7% males and 57.3% females) participated in the present study, with self-reported ages between 13 and 16 years (M = 14.43; SD = 1.15). Participants were from Granada (Spain) and perceived motivational climate towards sport (PMCSQ-2), life stress (PSS), academic performance, and engagement in physical activity (PAQ-A) were analyzed. A multi-group structural equation model was constructed, which demonstrated excellent fit to the observed data (χ² = 309.402; DF = 40; p < 0.001; CFI = 0.973; NFI = 0.970; IFI = 0.973; and RMSEA = 0.052). A negative and direct association exists between ego climate and task climate. A positive association was found between motivational climate, task climate (males r = 0.336/females r = 0.238), and ego climate (males r = 0.198/ females r = 0.089) and engagement in physical activity. A task climate was associated with better academic performance and lower levels of life stress. The main conclusions of this study highlight that a task-involving climate and engagement in physical activity are both associated with lower levels of life stress and higher levels of academic performance.

The Current State of Subjective Training Load Monitoring-a Practical Perspective and Call to Action

This commentary delivers a practical perspective on the current state of subjective training load (TL) monitoring, and in particular sessional ratings of perceived exertion, for performance enhancement and injury prevention. Subjective measures may be able to reflect mental fatigue, effort, stress, and motivation. These factors appear to be important moderators of the relationship TL has with performance and injury, and they also seem to differ between open and closed skill sports. As such, mental factors may affect the interaction between TL, performance, and injury in different sports. Further, modeling these interactions may be limited due to the assumption that an independent signal can adequately account for the performance or injury outcomes. An independent signal model does not accurately reflect training environments where multiple stressors (e.g., mechanical, emotional, nutritional) impact adaptations. Common issues with using subjective TL monitoring, including a lack of differentiation between biomechanical, physiological, and cognitive load, may be overcome by considering psychometric measurement best practices, finer graded scales, and differential ratings of perceived exertion. Methods of calculating TL, including different acute and chronic time periods, may also need to be individualized to different sports and potentially different individuals within the same sport. As TL monitoring is predominately a "chronic" decision-making tool, "acute" decision-making tools, e.g., subjective wellness and autonomic nervous system measures, should be combined in a bespoke multivariate model to aid sports coaches. A call to action is presented for future research on key issues associated with TL monitoring that will have relevance for practitioners in an applied setting.