Objective: Based on the Basic Psychological Needs Theory, this study aims to explore the relationship
between coaching environment (autonomy support or control) and mental toughness of athletes, as well as to test
the mediating effect of basic psychological needs. Methods: For this study, 497 elite athletes (12-28 years old) who
were voluntarily recruited as participants from Guangdong Province were invited to complete five self-report
questionnaires which included: The 6-item Chinese Version of Health-Care Climate Questionnaire, The 15-
item Controlling Coach Behaviors Scale, The 8-item Mental Toughness Index, The 12-item Psychological Need
Thwarting Scale and The 16-item Basic Needs Satisfaction in Sport Scale. Structural equations modeling method
and SPSS were used to analyze the data. Result: Results of the analysis of structural equations model supported a
good fit index scores, which indicated that the autonomy support from coaches can indirectly influence mental
toughness of athletes by psychological needs satisfaction, and the impact of competence is the greatest. But the
coaching environment (autonomy support or control) only directly influence psychological needs thwarting.