Mixed method examination of the mediating role of motivation in sports, sports commitment, psychological resilience and psychological well-being in the relationship between competition rumination and sporting life satisfaction in athletes
Keywords:
Competition rumination, athletic life satisfaction, sport motivation, sport engagementAbstract
The purpose of this study is to examine the mediating roles of motivation in sports, sports commitment, psychological resilience, and psychological well-being in the relationship between sports competition rumination and sports life satisfaction within the framework of a sequential explanatory mixed-methods design. The quantitative dimension of the research was conducted based on a correlational survey model, and the data obtained from licensed athletes who are university students in Turkey (N=750) were analyzed using the PROCESS macro. The quantitative analysis results revealed that the direct effect of sports competition rumination on sports life satisfaction was not statistically significant, but this relationship occurred indirectly through the variables of motivation in sports, sports commitment, and psychological well-being. It was determined that psychological resilience did not assume a significant mediating role in this relationship. In the qualitative dimension of the research, semi-structured interviews were conducted with a total of 20 participants (n=20) at the point where data saturation was reached, and the obtained data were analyzed using the content analysis method. Qualitative findings showed that athletes' sports life satisfaction is shaped not only by cognitive processes but also by the interaction of motivational, social, and psychological factors. Participants emphasized that motivation, social support, and psychological well-being play a determining role in maintaining sports satisfaction. As a result of the holistic evaluation of the quantitative and qualitative findings, it was concluded that the effect of sports competition rumination on sports life satisfaction occurs through multidimensional psychosocial mechanisms rather than direct causality, and that motivation, sports commitment, and psychological well-being function as critical mediating variables in this process. Based on these results, it is recommended that coaches and sports psychologists working in the field develop applied intervention programs aimed at strengthening motivation, sports commitment, and psychological well-being in order to reduce the negative effects of athletes' post-competition ruminative thoughts and increase their sports satisfaction.
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