Sport-related stressors and athletes’ emotional states in intensive rugby training centers: The buffering effect of coach’s need-supportive style

Objective: Based on basic psychological needs theory, this study aimed to explore the buffering effect of perceived coach need-supportive style on the relationships between sport-specific stressors and athletes’ perceived stress and unpleasant emotions through a temporal perspective. Methods: 58 adolescent athletes (M = 16.5 ± 0,7 years) involved in intensive rugby training centers completed measures of perceived stressors, coach need-supportive style, unpleasant emotions, and stress twice at one-month interval. Results: Multiple regression analyses showed significant associations between (1) the evolution of performance demands and perceived stress and unpleasant emotions, and (2) the evolution of injury demands and unpleasant emotions. Moderated regression analyses showed that the evolution of coach need-supportive style significantly moderated the relations between performance demands and unpleasant emotions and perceived stress. Specifically, athletes’ levels of perceived stress and unpleasant emotions were less affected by sport-related stressors if they perceived a positive evolution of need-support coming from their coaches. Discussion: Findings suggest that the adoption of a supportive coaching style could be a protective factor with respect to the negative impact of sport-related stressors on athletes’ emotional states.