The effect of coach identity leadership on athletes’ experiential avoidance: the mediating role of athletes’ perceptions of coach-related critical attitudes and subjective vitality

This study investigates the relationship between coach identity leadership and experiential avoidance, focusing on the mediating roles of athletes’ perceptions of coach-related critical attitudes and subjective vitality. A total of 788 athletes participated, with an average age of 20.52 years and an average of 6.29 years of athletic experience. All participants were athletes competing at or above the second-tier competitive level. Correlation and regression analyses revealed that coach identity leadership was significantly negatively correlated with both athletes’ perceptions of coach-related critical attitudes and experiential avoidance, while it was significantly positively correlated with subjective vitality. Additionally, athletes’ perceptions of coach-related critical attitudes were significantly positively correlated with experiential avoidance, while subjective vitality was significantly negatively correlated with experiential avoidance. Further analysis showed that coach identity leadership indirectly influenced experiential avoidance through athletes’ perceptions of coach-related critical attitudes and subjective vitality. These findings have significant implications for athletes, coaches, management organizations, and academic research.