The influence of coach created motivation climate on student-athlete’s antisocial behavior with moral disengagement as a mediator and moderator

Abstract

The objective of this study is to examine the relationship between the motivational climate created by coaches and antisocial behavior among Chinese student-athletes in sports. Furthermore, based on the current understanding that moral disengagement is both a cognitive process and a cognitive disposition of individuals, this study investigates whether moral disengagement plays a mediating and moderating role in the aforementioned relationship. A total of 278 (Male 176, Female 102, Mage 17.56) student-athletes were included in the study. Through the utilization of structural equation modeling analysis and hierarchical regression analysis, we found that the coach-created mastery climate (β = − 0.27, p