Examining the Relationship Between Collegiate Athletes’ Setback-Related Control Beliefs, Rumination, and Psychosocial Outcomes: A Mediation Analysis

Control beliefs are adaptive for athletes coping with significant obstacles to sport. Our study tested whether the effects of setback-related primary (PC) and secondary control (SC) on adaptive sport-related outcomes were mediated via setback rumination in collegiate athletes. We recruited 200 collegiate athletes using Prolific, from both Canada and the United States of America (Mage = 22.3 years; 125 women, 69 men, five nonbinary individuals, and one nonresponse). We used structural equation modelling to test direct paths from Time 1 PC and SC and rumination to Time 2 competition anxiety and sport commitment and test indirect paths of PC and SC to the outcomes through rumination. Findings revealed PC directly increased sport commitment, and through higher rumination, PC predicted higher competition anxiety. Athletes' SC predicted lower competition anxiety via lower rumination. We discuss the implications of these findings for athletes managing significant sport setbacks and for sport personnel supporting athletes.