A Study on the Structural Relationships Among Taekwondo Athletes’ Achievement Goal Orientation, Grit, Deliberate Practice, and Perceived Performance

This study was motivated by the recognition that despite the expansion of research on Elite Taekwondo Athlete performance from focusing on physical and technical factors to encompass a more comprehensive and integrated approach to psychological factors, there is a lack of multidimensional research examining the structural relationships among Achievement Goal Orientation, Grit, Deliberate Practice, and Perceived Performance in Taekwondo Athletes during the crucial period of preparation for university entrance exams and national team selection, from the third year of high school to the first year of university. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the impact of Taekwondo Athletes' Achievement Goal Orientation (Task-Goals, Ego-Goals) on Perceived Performance, and to examine the mediating and double mediating effects of Grit (Consistency of Interest, Perseverance of Effort) and Deliberate Practice. The study population consisted of Taekwondo Athletes registered with the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee in 2025. A total of 170 participants were randomly selected from 20 University Taekwondo Teams located in the Seoul metropolitan area and other metropolitan cities and provinces. A total of 144 data sets were ultimately analyzed. The measurement tools used were the Achievement Goal Orientation scale (TEOSQ), Grit, Deliberate Practice, and Perceived Athletic Performance Scales. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS 22.0 and AMOS 22.0 programs, applying structural equation modeling (SEM) to examine direct, indirect, and double mediation effects. The results showed that Ego-Goals had a positive effect on Consistency of Interest and Perseverance of Effort, but a negative effect on Deliberate Practice. Task-Goals, on the other hand, had a positive effect on both perseverance and Deliberate Practice. Among the subfactors of Grit, Perseverance of Effort had a positive effect on both Deliberate Practice and perceived athletic performance, while Consistency of Interest had no significant effect on either Deliberate Practice or perceived athletic performance. Furthermore, Achievement Goal Orientation did not have a direct effect on perceived athletic performance, but Task-Goals had a significant indirect effect on perceived athletic performance through Grit and Deliberate Practice. However, the double mediation effect between Ego-Goals and Perceived Performance was not significant. These results suggest that Taekwondo Athletes' Perceived Performance is not directly determined by Achievement Goal Orientation, but rather is shaped by psychological and behavioral variables centered on the performance process, such as perseverance and Deliberate Practice. This study holds academic and practical significance, empirically elucidating the importance of Deliberate Practice, based on task goal orientation and perseverance, for Taekwondo Athletes facing the high-pressure environment of university entrance exams and national team selection. This study is expected to provide fundamental data for goal setting and training intervention strategies aimed at improving long-term performance and psychological adaptation in Taekwondo Athletes.