Self-Efficacy and Depression in Boxers: A Mediation Model

Xin Chen; Nan Qiu; Chao Chen; Dexin Wang; Guodong Zhang; Liang Zhai

doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2020.00791

Self-Efficacy and Depression in Boxers: A Mediation Model

Front Psychiatry. 2020 Sep 29:11:00791. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2020.00791. eCollection 2020.

Authors

Xin Chen¹, Nan Qiu², Chao Chen³, Dexin Wang³, Guodong Zhang⁴, Liang Zhai⁵

Affiliations

¹ Department of Sport and Health Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany.
² General and Experimental Psychology, Department of Psychology, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany.
³ Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai, China.
⁴ College of Physical Education, Institute of Sport Science, Southwest University, Chongqing, China.
⁵ College of Physical Education, Sichuan Agricultural University, Yaan, China.

Abstract

Background: Depression has become one of the most common problems faced by athletes. In many mental health problems, its production and development mechanisms and influencing factors have received full attention from researchers, whereas boxers' depression has received limited attention. This study explored the relationship between boxers' self-efficacy and depression, as well as the effect of self-control as a mediating factor.

Methods: This study used the athlete self-efficacy scale (ASES), the self-control scale (SCS), and the Center for Epidemiologic Studies depression scale (CES-D). Using a large number of randomly selected samples, a total of N=231 boxers (age: M =20.28, SD = 2.60, ages around 18 to 32; the total number of years of exercise: M = 6.07 years, SD = 2.90, years around 1 to 15; 144 male) of Chinese national athletes participated the study.

Results: Self-efficacy and self-control were negatively correlated with depression; self-efficacy was positively correlated with self-control. In addition, self-control played a partial mediation role between self-efficacy and depression among boxers.

Conclusion: Above all, an important way to improve and prevent the depression of Chinese boxers maybe enhance their level of self-efficacy and self-control.

Keywords: boxers; depression; mediating effect; self-control; self-efficacy.