Effects of coaching style on prosocial and antisocial behavior among Chinese athletes

Abstract

We examined the effects of coaching style, motivation style, and moral disengagement on prosocial and antisocial behavior among Chinese athletes. Participants were 203 athletes (36.9% women; Mage = 19.0, SD = 2.6 years) from the Fujian Provincial Sports Team. Structural equation modeling analysis results revealed that the autonomy-supportive coaching style had an indirect and positive effect on prosocial behavior through the mediation of autonomous motivation. Further, the controlling coaching style had an indirect and positive effect on antisocial behavior through the mediation of controlled motivation and moral disengagement. The findings indicate that as coaching style influences prosocial and antisocial behavior among Chinese athletes, it should be targeted when interventions aimed at reducing their immoral behavior are developed.