Psychological Readiness of Coaches in Managing Adolescent Athletes: An Interdisciplinary Literature Review

M. Rachmat Kasmad

Authors

M. Rachmat Kasmad Universitas Negeri Makassar

Keywords:

Psychological Readiness; Youth Sport Coaching; Adolescent Athletes; Emotional Intelligence; Coach–Athlete Relationship.

Abstract

The increasing psychological demands experienced by adolescent athletes have highlighted the importance of coaches’ psychological readiness in promoting both athletic performance and psychosocial development. However, coaching effectiveness in youth sports is often examined from technical and tactical perspectives, while psychological readiness remains insufficiently explored. This study aimed to analyze and synthesize interdisciplinary evidence regarding coaches’ psychological readiness in managing adolescent athletes. The study employed an interdisciplinary literature review design by examining peer-reviewed articles published between 2015 and 2025 from Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed, ScienceDirect, ERIC, Google Scholar, SINTA, and Garuda databases. A total of 312 records were identified, of which 25 studies met the inclusion criteria and were included in the final synthesis. The findings revealed six dominant dimensions of psychological readiness: emotional intelligence (88%), communication competence (84%), coach–athlete relationship quality (80%), transformational leadership (72%), mental health literacy (64%), and stress management and resilience (60%). Furthermore, psychologically prepared coaches were consistently associated with positive athlete outcomes, including increased motivation (84%), enhanced self-confidence (76%), improved psychological well-being (72%), greater sport commitment (72%), reduced competitive anxiety (68%), and lower burnout risk (60%). The review also confirmed the relevance of Self-Determination Theory, Emotional Intelligence Theory, Coach–Athlete Relationship Theory, Positive Youth Development Theory, Transformational Leadership Theory, and Mental Health Literacy Theory in explaining coaching effectiveness. In conclusion, psychological readiness represents a multidimensional competency that is essential for managing adolescent athletes and should be integrated into coach education and professional development programs.

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