Associations between Resilience and the Rehabilitation’s Beliefs among Injured Student-Athletes: Mediating Role of Social Support

Introduction: Given that adolescent athletes possess distinct biological and psychological characteristics compared to adults, identifying the factors that influence their beliefs regarding rehabilitation and recovery from injuries could yield valuable insights for coaches, athletes, rehabilitation specialists, and parents.
Objective: This study was designed to explore the associations between resilience and the rehabilitation’s beliefs among student-athletes with considering the mediating role of social support.
Methods: This study employed a descriptive-correlational survey design utilizing structural equation modeling. The sample comprised 127 high school students with injury (35 females), aged 16-18 years. The Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, Sports Injury Rehabilitation Beliefs Survey and Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support were used for measuring resilience, rehabilitation beliefs, and social support, respectively. Structural equation modeling was used for data analysis.
Results: Males had significantly higher height and weight than females (P<0.001). The findings indicated a significant direct correlation between resilience and rehabilitation beliefs (P<0.001). Additionally, perceived social support was found to have a direct and significant relationship with rehabilitation beliefs (P<0.001). Furthermore, perceived social support significantly mediated the relationship between resilience and rehabilitation beliefs (P<0.001). The model fit assessment suggested that the proposed research model exhibited a good fit.
Conclusion: This research indicates that resilience and social support are valuable psychological assets that individuals can leverage, potentially enhancing the rehabilitation process for sports injuries and contributing positively to the overall well-being of athletes.