Basic psychological needs satisfaction, coping functions, and emotional experiences in competitive athletes: a multi-states theory perspective

The aim of the study was to investigate the relationship between basic psychological needs satisfaction, coping functions, cognitive appraisals, emotions, and psychobiosocial experiences in competitive athletes. Multi-states (MuSt) theory was used as the theoretical framework. The study involved a convenience sample of 183 Italian athletes (102 men), aged 16 to 48 years (M = 24.86, SD = 7.42), who were engaged in individual or team sports. The results showed that basic psychological needs satisfaction was positively related to problem-focused and emotion-focused coping, challenge appraisal, pleasant emotions, and functional psychobiosocial experiences, while negatively linked to threat appraisal and unpleasant emotions. Furthermore, problem-focused and emotion-focused coping were positively related to challenge appraisal, pleasant emotions, and functional psychobiosocial experiences, while negatively related to threat appraisal and unpleasant emotions. Path analysis findings showed positive indirect effects via problem-focused coping and challenge appraisal from both competence and relatedness to excitement, happiness, and functional psychobiosocial experiences. The results highlight the impact of basic psychological needs satisfaction, coping functions, and cognitive appraisals on athletes' emotional experiences. Overall findings support MuSt theoretical underpinnings and suggest that athletes who experience competence, autonomy, and relatedness are likely to adopt adaptive coping, view challenges as growth opportunities, experience pleasant emotions, and undergo functional psychobiosocial experiences. From an applied perspective, practitioners should prioritize basic psychological needs satisfaction in athlete development programs to foster functional coping, challenge appraisal, optimal emotional experiences, and performance.