Discov Ment Health. 2026 May 3. doi: 10.1007/s44192-026-00468-7. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
The coach-athlete relationship is central for the development and well-being of adolescent athletes, but the mechanisms underlying this relation are underexplored. Learning life skills may explain these underlying mechanisms; therefore, understanding this line of inquiry can help optimize the coaching process and life skill development. Given this context, this study aims to analyze how the interactions between coaches and adolescent athletes are associated with well-being, as well as understand the statistical mediating role of life skills. A total of 312 Brazilian adolescent athletes participated, completing measures assessing the coach-athlete relationship, life skills and well-being. The paths (coach-athlete relationship → life skills → well-being) were tested using structural equation modeling. As a result, life skills showed a statistical indirect association accounting for 45.7% of the variance explained in the association between the coach-athlete relationship with well-being. Among the dimensions associated with the coach-athlete relationship, commitment emerged as a significant correlate of all life skills. Moreover, complementarity showed a direct association with all three well-being domains. Additionally, closeness showed a specific direct association only with psychological well-being. With regards to life skills, goal setting was positively associated with all three well-being domains, whereas emotional skills showed a negative association, suggesting that they may function as a marker of prior adversity. Taken together, the coach-athlete relationship is not a monolithic construct; its dimensions show functional specificity in their associations. From an applied standpoint, sport-based programs should prioritize building a relationship of commitment as a foundational element to support the intentional teaching of skills.
PMID:42070203 | DOI:10.1007/s44192-026-00468-7
