I. Kadek Suardika, Arief Ibnu Haryanto, Sylva Flora Ninta Tarigan, Meyke Parengkuan, Ahmad Zulfiqar Ibnu Safrin Kaawoan, Suci Dwi Afriani, Eko Purnomo
This study examines the influence of servant leadership and social identity on athletes' mental health in the context of training and competition. High psychological pressure on athletes triggers problems such as depression, anxiety, and stress that impact performance. This study aims to analyze the role of coach servant leadership and the strength of team social identity in mitigating these mental problems. Quantitative methods were applied through a survey of 200 athletes from various sports using three main instruments: the Servant Leadership Scale (SLS), the Social Identity in Sport Scale (SISS), and the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS-21). Data analysis using path analysis showed that servant leadership had a significant effect on strengthening athletes' social identity (β=0.42, p<0.01), while strong social identity was negatively related to levels of depression (r=-0.32), anxiety (r=-0.28), and stress (r=-0.35). These findings reveal that a leadership approach that focuses on individual development and team coaching is effective in improving athletes' mental resilience. Practical implications include: (1) servant leadership training program for coaches, (2) group identity strengthening intervention through team-building, and (3) development of a digital-based mental health monitoring system. This study provides an important contribution to the development of a mental health support model for athletes that integrates aspects of leadership and social dynamics. © 2025 by the authors.
Universitas Negeri Gorontalo, Faculty of Sports and Health, Gorontalo, Indonesia; Universitas Negeri Padang, Faculty of Sports Science, Padang, Indonesia
