Relationships Between Instructor Leadership Styles, Self-Efficacy, and Exercise Adherence Intention Among Recreational Badminton Participants

This study examined the relationships between perceived badminton instructors’ leadership styles (training and instruction, democratic, positive feedback, and social support behaviors), self-efficacy, and exercise adherence intention. Data were collected through a questionnaire survey from late August to early October 2025, yielding 186 valid responses from 210 distributed questionnaires. Frequency and reliability analyses were conducted and structural equation modeling was performed. Training and instruction behavior was positively related to self-efficacy, whereas democratic, positive feedback, and social support behaviors were not significantly related to self-efficacy. Positive feedback behavior was positively related to exercise adherence intention, while training and instruction, democratic, and social support behaviors were not significantly related to exercise adherence intention. Self-efficacy was positively related to exercise adherence intention. Self-efficacy significantly mediated the relationship between training and instruction behavior and exercise adherence intention, whereas no significant mediation was found for democratic, positive feedback, or social support behaviors. This study identifies the structural relationships between perceived badminton instructors’ leadership styles, self-efficacy, and exercise adherence intention. The findings provide practical implications and evidence for developing effective coaching strategies to support exercise adherence intention among recreational badminton participants.