Abstract
This study was carried out to explore the mechanism between athlete participation and team cohesion for adolescent school soccer players. We examined the mediating role of athlete engagement and collective self-esteem between athlete participation and team cohesion for adolescent soccer players. A comprehensive investigation of 1659 primary and middle school soccer players was conducted using the Athlete Participation Scale, Athlete Engagement Questionnaire, Collective Self-Esteem Scale, and Team Cohesion Scale, and we conducted correlation, regression and pathway analyses among the variables. We found the following for adolescent soccer players: (1) Athlete engagement plays a complete mediating role between athlete participation and team cohesion. (2) Collective self-esteem plays a complete mediating role between athlete participation and team cohesion. (3) Athlete participation does not directly predict team cohesion, but can influence team cohesion through the chain mediation of athlete engagement and collective self-esteem. This study built a chain mediation model showing that athlete engagement and team cohesion mediated athlete participation and team cohesion, to investigate its mediating role for adolescent soccer players. This study provides theoretical guidance and an empirical basis for the intervention of athlete participation on team cohesion in soccer sports among adolescents.