Work

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

Year: 2021

Type: article

Abstract: 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.

Source: Journal of Clinical Sport Psychology

DOI: 10.1123/jcsp.2020-0058

Authors: Sara Oliveira, Marina Cunha, António Rosado, Cláudia Ferreira

Institutions: University of Coimbra, University of Lisbon

Language: English

Topic: Sport Psychology and Performance

Subfield: Developmental and Educational Psychology

Field: Psychology

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: hybrid

Funders: European Commission, Universidade de Coimbra