Work

Exploring the influence of track and field athletes' self-management on athletic performance: the chain mediating role of psychological resilience and competitive spirit

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Objective Against the backdrop of increasingly intense competition in competitive sports, the mechanisms underlying the improvement of athletes' athletic performance have become an important research topic. Based on self-regulation theory and relevant perspectives in sport psychology, this study explores the relationship between self-management and athletic performance among track and field athletes, and examines the single mediating and chain mediating effects of psychological resilience and competitive spirit. Methods This study employed a cross-sectional quantitative survey design and used non-probability convenience sampling to recruit 772 Chinese track and field athletes. Established scales were used to assess self-management, psychological resilience, competitive spirit, and athletic performance. SPSS 31.0 and AMOS 31.0 were used for descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, common method bias testing, confirmatory factor analysis, and structural equation modeling. Direct, individual indirect, and serial indirect effects were examined using 5,000 bootstrap samples. Results Self-management was positively associated with athletic performance. Psychological resilience and competitive spirit each significantly mediated the relationship between self-management and athletic performance. In addition, psychological resilience and competitive spirit formed a significant serial mediating pathway, indicating that higher self-management was associated with greater psychological resilience, which was subsequently associated with stronger competitive spirit and, ultimately, better athletic performance. Conclusion Self-management is an important factor influencing the athletic performance of Chinese track and field athletes. Its effect is reflected not only in its direct promotion of athletic performance but also in its indirect effect through the sequential psychological mechanism of psychological resilience and competitive spirit. The findings suggest that improving the athletic performance of track and field athletes should not focus solely on sport-specific technical and physical training, but should also emphasize the cultivation of self-management ability, psychological resilience training, and the shaping of psychological goals related to competitive spirit.

Source: Frontiers in Psychology

DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1934680

Authors: Zhengzheng Fan, Yuanzhen Ni, Yibo Shen

Institutions: Liaocheng University, Qufu Normal University, Shandong University, Kyungpook National University

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: gold

Estimated APC paid: $3,801