The Relationship between Intensity of Anger and its Expression in Competitive Athletes: The Mediating Role of Psychological Inflexibility

The purpose of this study was to investigate the mediating role of psychological inflexibility in the relationship between intensity of angerand its expression in competitive athletes.The present study was a correlational design based on structural relationships (PLS structural equation modeling). The present study was a correlational design study based on structural relationships (PLS structural equation modeling). The statistical population of this study consisted of all competitive athletes (all athletes who participated in any level of competitive sport, either individual or collective) in Ardebil in 2019. From a total of participants, 312 were selected through cluster sampling and included in the study. To collect data, the Clinical Anger Scale, Internal and external anger subscales of Multidimensional Anger Inventory and Comprehensive assessment of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (CompACT) Scale were used. The results showed that psychological inflexibility mediated between intensity of angerand externalizing expression or aggressive (behavioral avoidance) and between intensity of angerand rumination / suppression of anger (cognitive avoidance). Based on the findings, it can be said psychological inflexibility is an important factor to consider in the relationship between anger and aggression. In fact, athletes who have low flexibility responses is very likely that the anger experienced will be expressed.