Shame Proneness, Guilt Proneness, Behavioral Self-Handicapping, and Skill Level: A Mediational Analysis

Abstract

In this study, the relationship between shame proneness, guilt proneness, behavioral self-handicapping, and skill level was examined in elite youth soccer players (N = 589, Mage = 16.8, SD=1.8). Mediation analyses showed that shame proneness had a positive direct relationship with self-handicappingandaweaknegativeindirectrelationshipwithskilllevel.Guilt proneness was shown to have a negative direct relationship to self-handicapping and a positive weak indirect relationship to skill level. Shame proneness may, thus, stimulate behavioral self-handicapping, whereas guilt proneness may discourage behavioral self-handicapping in soccer players.