Background: This study aims to examine the relationship between Kinesiophobia and Rumination in athletes, and to reveal the mediating roles of Coping Responses and Psychological Flexibility in this relationship. Methods: Three hundred ninety licensed athletes, including 225 females and 165 males, voluntarily participated in the study. Participants were selected through simple random sampling from various sports clubs across Turkey. During the data collection, participants were contacted online. They completed the personal ınformation form, the Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia, the Sport Competition Rumination Scale, the Psychological Flexibility Scale, and the Coping Responses Inventory. IBM SPSS 26 and PROCESS Macro Model 4.0 were used for data analysis. In addition to descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, linear regression, and mediation analyses were conducted. The adequacy of the sample size was evaluated using G*Power (v 3.1). The Bootstrap method with 5000 resamples and a 95% confidence interval was applied in the mediation analysis. Results: The study’s findings indicated that kinesiophobia significantly predicted levels of rumination among athletes, and that both psychological flexibility and coping responses partially mediated this relationship. Although both variables were functional in reducing ruminative thinking, coping responses demonstrated a more potent effect. The results suggest that the tendency to avoid movement affects physical and cognitive processes. Conclusions: It was concluded that psychological flexibility and coping responses are protective factors in reducing repetitive negative thought patterns in athletes. In this regard, it is recommended that holistic intervention programs aimed at enhancing psychological resilience be developed to support mental health and athletic performance.

Background: Oncology nurses are highly vulnerable to impaired mental health and reduced quality of life due to the emotionally demanding nature of their work. Although mental health is a well-established determinant of quality of life, the mechanisms underlying this relationship remain insufficiently understood. Objective: This study examined the effect of the mental health continuum on quality of life among oncology nurses and tested the serial mediating roles of exercise self-efficacy and psychological resilience. Methods: A cross-sectional design was conducted with 604 oncology nurses in Türkiye. Data were collected using the Mental Health Continuum—Short Form, the Exercise Self-Efficacy Scale, the Psychological Resilience Scale, and the WHOQOL-BREF. Serial mediation analysis was performed using PROCESS Model 6 with 5000 bootstrap resamples. Results: The mental health continuum had a significant positive effect on exercise self-efficacy (a1 = 0.08, p < 0.001) and psychological resilience (a2 = 0.05, p < 0.001). Exercise self-efficacy significantly predicted psychological resilience (d1 = 0.51, p < 0.001). Both exercise self-efficacy (b1 = 0.88, p < 0.001) and psychological resilience (b2 = 1.60, p < 0.001) were significant predictors of quality of life. The direct effect of the mental health continuum on quality of life remained significant (c′ = 0.65, p < 0.001), indicating partial mediation. Bootstrap results further confirmed that all indirect effects were statistically significant, as their 95% confidence intervals did not include zero. Conclusions: Quality of life is influenced not only by mental health but also by sequential cognitive and adaptive processes. Interventions targeting exercise self-efficacy and psychological resilience may enhance well-being among oncology nurses.

Background: Football is characterized by rapidly changing and highly demanding competitive conditions in which players are frequently exposed to substantial psychological pressure. Athletes’ psychological responses to these pressures can directly influence critical performance-related factors such as decision-making, tactical execution, and overall game performance. In modern football, physical and technical abilities alone are often insufficient for achieving high-level performance; psychological competencies have become increasingly important determinants of success. Consequently, the development and implementation of structured psychological training approaches have gained considerable attention in sports science research. In this context, Psychological Skills Intervention (PSI) programs are considered promising strategies for enhancing athletes’ psychological capacities and optimizing their performance in competitive environments. Objective: This study aims to investigate the effects of Psychological Skills Intervention (PSI) programs on football players’ mental toughness, decision-making abilities, and tactical skills. Methods: The study sample consisted of football players from the youth academies of professional football clubs competing in the Turkish Football Federation (TFF) Development Leagues during the 2025–2026 season. A total of 55 football players voluntarily participated in the study and were divided into a control group ( n = 28) and an experimental group ( n = 27). The control group followed the standard training program implemented by their teams. In contrast, the experimental group participated in an eight-week Psychological Skills Intervention (PSI) program in addition to the standard training program. The variables included in the study were assessed at three different time points. The data from the study were analyzed using SPSS 26. Repeated Measures ANOVA with Bonferroni post hoc comparisons was conducted to examine within-group changes over time, while Independent Samples t-tests were used to evaluate differences between the control and experimental groups. Results: Although improvements were observed in the mental toughness, decision-making, and tactical skills of U-19 footballers in the control group, statistically significant improvements were observed in the experimental group who participated in the PSI program. Conclusion: The findings suggest that integrating Psychological Skills Intervention (PSI) programs as a systematic, integral component of training for footballers competing in development leagues can significantly enhance players’ individual performance and career development as they progress through the competitive pathway. Furthermore, such programs may play a critical role in developing elite-level footballers capable of contributing to the long-term and sustainable success of national football.