Associations Between Controlling Coaching Behaviors and Mental Health Help Seeking Attitudes in Collegiate Athletes
Abstract
Although correlations between coaching behaviors and mental health have been investigated before, research that extensively analyzes collegiate athletes’ willingness to seek out mental healthcare has not been conducted. Previous research shows that coaching behaviors correlate with athlete mental health and even predict depression levels more accurately than their own personality traits. The current study aimed to analyze the relationship between athletes’ perceived controlling coaching behaviors and their mental health seeking attitudes. It was hypothesized that perceived controlling coaching would be negatively correlated with mental health seeking attitudes, perceived available emotional support, and athlete-coach relationship satisfaction. To test this hypothesis, participants were surveyed online to determine their perception of controlling coaching behaviors, available emotional support, athlete-coach relationship satisfaction, and mental health seeking attitudes. Pearson's correlation was calculated for each category. In addition, perceived controlling coaching scores were placed in rank order from lowest to highest and split into thirds to define the following categories of controlling coaching: controlling; somewhat controlling; lenient. A one-way ANOVA was used to analyze if there was a significant difference between the three group means of mental health seeking attitudes scores. It was found that perceived aspects of controlling coaching were negatively correlated with mental health seeking attitudes, athlete-coach relationships, and perceived available emotional support. Findings from this study expand the knowledge regarding best and most effective coaching practices among collegiate sports. Filling this gap is aiding in providing the factual basis to begin movements for better coaching practices for athletes and changes in policies including possibility for random coaching evaluations, anonymous reporting, and mental health seminars. Finding the best coaching practices for college athletes could improve their performance, bring in larger fanbases, increase athlete motivation to continue sports professionally, and create more positive coaching environments for athletes overall.
Start Time
15-4-2026 2:30 PM
End Time
15-4-2026 3:30 PM
Room Number
271
Presentation Type
Oral Presentation
Presentation Subtype
UG Orals
Presentation Category
Social Sciences
Student Type
Undergraduate
Faculty Mentor
Andrea Clements
Associations Between Controlling Coaching Behaviors and Mental Health Help Seeking Attitudes in Collegiate Athletes
271
Although correlations between coaching behaviors and mental health have been investigated before, research that extensively analyzes collegiate athletes’ willingness to seek out mental healthcare has not been conducted. Previous research shows that coaching behaviors correlate with athlete mental health and even predict depression levels more accurately than their own personality traits. The current study aimed to analyze the relationship between athletes’ perceived controlling coaching behaviors and their mental health seeking attitudes. It was hypothesized that perceived controlling coaching would be negatively correlated with mental health seeking attitudes, perceived available emotional support, and athlete-coach relationship satisfaction. To test this hypothesis, participants were surveyed online to determine their perception of controlling coaching behaviors, available emotional support, athlete-coach relationship satisfaction, and mental health seeking attitudes. Pearson's correlation was calculated for each category. In addition, perceived controlling coaching scores were placed in rank order from lowest to highest and split into thirds to define the following categories of controlling coaching: controlling; somewhat controlling; lenient. A one-way ANOVA was used to analyze if there was a significant difference between the three group means of mental health seeking attitudes scores. It was found that perceived aspects of controlling coaching were negatively correlated with mental health seeking attitudes, athlete-coach relationships, and perceived available emotional support. Findings from this study expand the knowledge regarding best and most effective coaching practices among collegiate sports. Filling this gap is aiding in providing the factual basis to begin movements for better coaching practices for athletes and changes in policies including possibility for random coaching evaluations, anonymous reporting, and mental health seminars. Finding the best coaching practices for college athletes could improve their performance, bring in larger fanbases, increase athlete motivation to continue sports professionally, and create more positive coaching environments for athletes overall.
