فهرست نشریات علمی دسترسی آزاد ایران

Sport enhances mental health and both individual and team success. Coaches, through their leadership styles, shaped by psychological patterns and early maladaptive schemas, affect athletes’ performance and psychological well-being. This study aimed to identify the psychological patterns of sports coaches based on a cluster analysis of their early maladaptive schemas. This descriptive-analytical study employed a cluster analysis approach. The statistical population consisted of active sports coaches in Iranian clubs in 2023. A total of 297 participants were selected through convenience sampling. Research instruments included a demographic questionnaire and Young’s Early Maladaptive Schema Questionnaire (2005). Data were analyzed using structural equation modeling, hierarchical cluster analysis, K-means clustering, path analysis, and ANOVA. Cluster analysis identified four distinct psychological patterns: 1-Healthy and adaptive type (mean schema score = 0.03), characterized by emotional balance and supportive leadership; 2-Controlling or inhibited type (mean = –0.30), showing the highest activation of Emotional Inhibition (β = 0.76) and Unrelenting Standards (β = 0.74) schemas; 3-Maladaptive and emotionally vulnerable type (mean = +1.23), marked by elevated Dependence and Subjugation schemas; 4-Defensive and denying type (mean = –2.35, up to –4.27), characterized by strong emotional suppression. ANOVA results indicated significant differences among the clusters across all schemas (p < 0.01). Psychological pattern was also significantly associated with gender (p = 0.001) and athletic level (p = 0.03). The combination of early maladaptive schemas among sports coaches gives rise to distinct psychological patterns. Identifying these patterns can inform psychological training, enhance leadership styles, prevent burnout, and improve team performance.