Youth perceptions of a caring climate, emotional regulation and psychological well-being

The purpose of this study was to examine the meditational effect of perceived affective self-regulatory efficacy on the relationship between youth sport participants? perceived caring climate and their mental well-being. Three hundred and 95 participants (mean age = 11.80 ? 1.54) from a National Youth Sport Program were recruited for the study. Participants completed a battery of questionnaires including demographic information, the Caring Climate Scale, the Affective Self-Regulatory Efficacy measure, and measures of psychological well-being (i.e., depression, hope, sadness, and happiness). Results from the structural equation model analysis of the proposed mediational model revealed that both positive and negative affective self-regulatory efficacy mediated the relationship between the perceived caring climate and mental well-being. Findings from this study call attention to the importance of creating a caring climate in youth sport programs to foster positive mental well-being in young athletes via their affective self-regulatory efficacy.