Abstract
The objective of this study is to examine the relationship between the motivational climate created by coaches and antisocial behavior among Chinese student-athletes in sports. Furthermore, based on the current understanding that moral disengagement is both a cognitive process and a cognitive disposition of individuals, this study investigates whether moral disengagement plays a mediating and moderating role in the aforementioned relationship. A total of 278 (Male 176, Female 102, Mage 17.56) student-athletes were included in the study. Through the utilization of structural equation modeling analysis and hierarchical regression analysis, we found that the coach-created mastery climate (β = - 0.27, p < .001) had a negative impact on antisocial behavior, whereas the performance climate (β = 0.24, p < .001) had a positive impact. Additionally, moral disengagement was found to act as both a mediator (β = 0.21, p < .01) and a moderator (β = 0.16, p < .01) between the performance climate created by coaches and antisocial behavior. This study emphasizes the importance of coaches being mindful not only of the motivational climate they establish but also of potential developmental threats within elite sports environments.