Coaching Style and Antisocial Behavior in Sport: The Mediating Effect of Sport Moral Disengagement

The study was to investigate the association between coaching style and antisocial behavior among Chinese athletes as well as the potential mediating role of moral disengagement. The structural equation modeling indicated that autonomy supportive coaching style had negative direct effects on antisocial behavior toward teammates. Moral disengagement had positive direct effects on antisocial behavior toward teammates and opponents. And the controlling coaching style had significantly positive effects on antisocial behavior toward teammates and opponents which were partially mediated by moral disengagement. These findings concluded that autonomy-supportive coaching style should be recommended while controlling style not suggested; and the moral disengagement levels of athletes should be decreased so that their antisocial behaviors will go down.