Resilience and perceived stress in elite athletes: The mediating role of emotion regulation strategies and the moderating role of coach–athlete relationship

This cross-sectional study examined how resilience impacts athletes' perceived stress and its underlying mechanisms through the lens of the concept of "non-equilibrium" in stress response. We surveyed 756 elite athletes using the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, Perceived Stress Scale, Emotion Regulation Questionnaire, and Coach-Athlete Relationship Questionnaire. Resilience was found to be a crucial proximal factor in athletes' perceived stress, with emotion regulation strategies partially mediating this effect. Coach-athlete relationship served as a protective factor, mitigating the athletes' perceived stress levels. The findings offer theoretical and practical insights into how resilience relates to maladaptive psychological or behavioral responses, helping coaches and psychologists cultivate harmonious relationships and promote adaptive strategies to mitigate athletes' perceived stress.