The Structural Relationships among Perceived Coach–Athlete Interaction, Grit, and Growth Mindset in University Taekwondo Kyorugi Athletes

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to analyze the mediating role of a growth mindset in the relationship between coach–athlete interactions and grit among university-level Taekwondo athletes.<br/> Method: Data analysis was conducted using SPSS 29.0 and AMOS 28.0 software packages. This included confirmatory factor analysis and reliability testing. Additionally, the mediating effect was assessed using Hayes’ PROCESS Macro (Model 5) with bootstrapping procedures. The level of statistical significance was set at α=.05.<br/> Results: The results of this study are as follows. First, perceived coach–athlete interactions among university Taekwondo Kyorugi athletes significantly affected their growth mindset. Second, a growth mindset was significantly associated with grit. Third, coach–athlete interactions did not have a direct influence on grit. Finally, a growth mindset partially mediated the relationship between coach–athlete interaction and grit.<br/> Conclusion: In summary, the results indicate that coach–athlete interactions enhance a growth mindset, which in turn promotes grit. Additionally, the growth mindset partially mediates the relationship between coach–athlete interactions and grit, with no direct effect of coach–athlete interaction on grit was observed.