Author(s): Coelho, Carol ; Oliveira, Diane ; Branco, Catarina Isabel Martins ; Gomes, A. Rui ; Conceição, Eva ; Machado, Paulo P. P. ; Gonçalves, Sónia
Date: 2025
Persistent ID: https://hdl.handle.net/1822/94666
Origin: RepositóriUM - Universidade do Minho
Subject(s): Coach leadership styles; Coach–athlete relationship; Self-criticism; Disordered eating; Sports psychology
Background/Objectives: Athletes are particularly vulnerable to developing eating disorders, which can negatively impact both health and athletic performance. The coach–athlete relationship plays a central role in athletes’ development and well-being. However, little is known about how coaches’ leadership styles relate to athletes’ self-criticism and disordered eating. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the relationship between athletes’ perceptions of their coach’s leadership style and their own self-criticism and disordered eating. Methods: A total of 150 athletes from team ball sports, aged 18 to 43 years (M = 25.0, SD = 6.0), completed self-report measures. Results: 27.3% of the participants were at heightened risk of developing eating disorders, and 38.7% lacked access to nutritional or psychological support within their clubs. Significant positive associations were found between coaches’ negative feedback style and athletes’ self-criticism and disordered eating, and between passive management style and athletes’ self-criticism and disordered eating. Moreover, athletes’ self-criticism fully mediated the relationship between these leadership styles and athletes’ disordered eating. Additionally, coaches’ vision, inspiration, and individualization styles were related to decreased self-criticism in athletes. Conclusions: Coaches’ leadership styles are significantly related to athletes’ psychological and nutritional health. This research has important implications for promoting healthier practices in sports settings.
