Authentic leadership and well-being in sport: the mediating role of psychological safety and the moderating role of interpersonal violence

Sport leaders, such as coaches, are critical in promoting<br/>psychological safety with subsequent effects on athlete wellbeing.<br/>However, many athletes experience interpersonal violence<br/>(e.g., psychological abuse), which can negatively influence their<br/>well-being and may attenuate the beneficial effects of positive<br/>coaching styles such as authentic leadership. Understanding the<br/>relationship between authentic leadership, psychological safety<br/>and athlete well-being after experiencing interpersonal violence<br/>in sport is important in designing effective safeguarding<br/>interventions and policy. In this study, we were the first to<br/>examine the indirect relationship between authentic leadership<br/>and well-being via psychological safety, and if the direct<br/>relationship between authentic leadership and well-being is<br/>moderated by interpersonal violence. Competitive athletes (N =<br/>305; 52% female, 29.20 ± 12.62 years old) completed an<br/>anonymous questionnaire measuring authentic leadership of their<br/>current coach, psychological safety, interpersonal violence, and<br/>well-being. Authentic leadership was indirectly related to<br/>athletes’ well-being via psychological safety (effect size = 0.13,<br/>95% CI = 0.07, 0.19), and the direct effect of authentic leadership<br/>on athletes’ well-being was significant only when interpersonal<br/>violence scores were low or moderate. These findings suggest<br/>that when athletes perceive their coaches to be authentic leaders,<br/>they are more likely to feel psychologically safe, and in turn have<br/>a greater sense of well-being. However, authentic leaders are less<br/>likely to positively influence well-being when athletes have<br/>experienced interpersonal violence. A need exists to prevent<br/>interpersonal violence so that coaches displaying authentic<br/>leadership qualities can positively influence their athletes’ wellbeing.