Impact of coach-created motivational climate, mediated by collective efficacy, on team resilience in elite futsal athletes

This cross-sectional study investigated the impact of the motivational climate created by the coach on team resilience in elite futsal athletes, considering the mediating role of collective efficacy. A total of 440 adult elite futsal athletes (214 female and 226 male; mean age 23.3 ± 4.7 years) from different regions of Brazil participated. The motivational climate created by the coach was assessed using the PMCSQ-2BR, collective efficacy with the CEQS-B, and team resilience with the CREST-B. Data were analyzed through confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling. Results indicated that a task-oriented motivational climate created by the coach had a positive direct impact on collective efficacy and resilient characteristics. Collective efficacy, in turn, mediated the relationship between the task-oriented motivational climate created by the coach and both resilient characteristics (positive indirect effect) and vulnerability under pressure (negative indirect effect). No significant mediating effect of collective efficacy was observed for the ego-oriented motivational climate created by the coach. These findings suggest, with the caution inherent to cross-sectional designs, that collective efficacy constitutes a central psychological mechanism through which task-oriented motivational environments may foster resilient characteristics and reduce vulnerability under pressure in elite futsal teams.