A Motivational Model of Injury Anxiety in Youth Athletes

Purpose: Grounded in self-determination theory, this study investigated the psychological pathways through which youth athletes’ perceptions of the coaching environment influence injury anxiety, specifically examining the mediating roles of basic psychological needs satisfaction and motivational processes. Method: The participants consisted of 276 middle and high school elite athletes registered with the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee, selected through non-probability sampling. Data were analyzed using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to validate the measurement model, followed by structural equation modeling (SEM) to test the hypothesized structural relationships among the variables. Results: The analysis revealed that autonomy-supportive coaching was a positive predictor of both basic psychological needs satisfaction and autonomous motivation. Conversely, controlling coaching negatively predicted basic psychological needs satisfaction while positively predicting controlled motivation. Notably, basic psychological needs satisfaction had a significant indirect effect on reducing injury anxiety, specifically mediated by controlled motivation. In contrast, autonomous motivation did not show a significant indirect effect on the relationship between needs satisfaction and injury anxiety. Conclusion: These findings underscore the critical role of the interpersonal coaching climate in shaping injury anxiety among youth athletes by modulating their basic psychological needs and motivational regulations. The results suggest that fostering an autonomy-supportive environment is essential for reducing psychological distress related to injuries. Future research should further explore specific autonomy- supportive strategies tailored to the unique developmental needs of adolescent elite athletes.