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.

In competitive sports, enhancing athletes’ sport-specific performance through psychological interventions remains a central focus of both theory and practice. Mindfulness practice (MP), which emphasizes present-moment awareness and acceptance, has shown potential to improve attention control and emotional regulation in athletes, yet existing research lacks systematic and methodologically rigorous evidence. To address this gap, the present study conducted a three-level meta-analysis to evaluate the effects of MP on sport-specific performance and to examine potential moderators of its efficacy. Following the PRISMA 2020 guidelines, 12 eligible studies yielding 30 effect sizes were included. Results revealed a significant and large positive effect of MP on sport-specific performance (SMD = 1.38, 95% CI [0.51, 2.25], p < .01). Subgroup analyses indicated that MP significantly improved performance across genders, competitive levels, and skill types. Long-term interventions incorporating home practice produced the most pronounced effects. Although age and sports experience did not show significant linear or nonlinear moderating effects, model fit suggested potential complex interaction patterns. Overall, MP has a substantial positive impact on sport-specific performance, particularly when implemented as a long-term, systematic intervention with home practice. Practically, coaches and sports psychology professionals should integrate MP as a continuous training component, tailored with home practice and individualized protocols to optimize outcomes.

Background: Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) frequently experience eating-related behavioral difficulties; however, the relationships among these difficulties, core ASD deficits, and executive function remain poorly understood. The present study examined how core ASD characteristics—restrictive and repetitive behaviors (RRBs) and social impairments—relate to eating behaviors, including food approach and avoidance tendencies. In addition, the study explored whether executive function serves as a mediating mechanism underlying these associations. Methods: A total of 184 children aged 3–12 years participated in this cross-sectional study. All variables were measured using parent-reported questionnaires, and data were analyzed through path modeling. The Social Responsiveness Scale–Second Edition (SRS-2) and the Repetitive Behavior Scale–Revised (RBS-R) were employed to assess social impairments and RRBs, respectively. Eating behaviors—comprising food approach and food avoidance dimensions—were evaluated with the Children’s Eating Behavior Questionnaire (CEBQ), while executive function was measured using the Child Executive Functioning Inventory (CHEXI). Results: The analysis revealed significant associations between RRBs and both food approach and food avoidance behaviors in children with ASD. Crucially, follow-up regression analyses specifying RRBs subtypes showed that Stereotyped Behavior independently predicted both food approach (β = 0.305, p < 0.001) and avoidance (β = 0.217, p = 0.002), while Compulsive Behavior specifically predicted food avoidance (β = 0.173, p = 0.021). Furthermore, executive function appeared to serve as a potential mediator in these relationships, suggesting that impairments in executive control may partially explain how repetitive behaviors influence eating patterns. Although social impairments showed weaker direct associations with eating behaviors, they indirectly affected both food approach and avoidance behaviors through deficits in executive function, highlighting the complex interplay among behavioral, cognitive, and social domains in ASD. Conclusions: These findings indicate that RRBs—one of the core characteristics of ASD—can predict children’s eating behaviors and are concurrently linked to two seemingly opposite eating patterns. Both social impairments and RRBs appear to influence eating behaviors through executive dysfunction. This study provides new insights into the mechanisms underlying atypical eating behaviors in children with ASD and identifies executive function as a promising target for interventions aimed at improving eating-related outcomes in this population.