The mediating role of basic needs satisfaction on the relationship of perfectionism traits and team cohesion among elite futsal athletes

This study investigated mediating role of basic needs satisfaction (BNS) on the effect of perfectionism traits on social and task cohesion among elite futsal athletes. Participants were 301 athletes from the teams participating in the Brazilian National League. Instruments were the Group Environment Questionnaire, Sport Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale-2 and Basic Needs Satisfaction in Sport Scale. For data analysis, Confirmatory Factor Analysis and Structural Equation Modeling were conducted. Perfectionistic traits explained 10% of the BNS variance; perfectionism striving and perfectionism concerns had a significant direct effect on task (.18 and -.20) and social cohesion (.16 and -.27); BNS significantly mediated the perfectionism-cohesion relationship, with the mediation model explaining 72% and 61% of task and social cohesion variability respectively. Within the elite Brazilian futsal context, BNS fosters adaptive perfectionism impact on team cohesion, while decreasing maladaptive perfectionism effects.

Duke Scholars

Author Joao Ricardo Nickenig Vissoci Emergency Medicine