{
  "abstract": "Drawing on the covariance matrix reported by Fan et al., I reassessed the empirical basis of their mediation model linking self-management to athletic performance. I demonstrate that the observed covariance structure can be reproduced by a theoretically different latent-variable model that does not rely on the directional mechanism proposed in the original article. In this alternative account, self-reported self-management, psychological resilience, competitive spirit, and athletic performance are conceptualized as indicators of a broader construct, core self-evaluation. The results illustrate a broader inferential problem in psychological research: multiple theoretically plausible models may provide equally adequate explanations of the same correlational pattern. Consequently, observational associations alone offer limited grounds for preferring one explanation over competing alternatives. Researchers should therefore routinely evaluate alternative models when drawing inferences about psychological mechanisms from nonexperimental data.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [],
  "article_type": null,
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 1,
  "authors": [
    {
      "name": "Kimmo Sorjonen"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/6xq09bz9qm4b0.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.31234/osf.io/qzm5p_v1",
  "fulltext_url": null,
  "id": "6xq09bz9qm4b0",
  "issns": [],
  "landing_url": "https://osf.io/preprints/psyarxiv/qzm5p_v1/",
  "language": null,
  "licence": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "licence_label": "CC BY 4.0",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "bepress",
      "Achievement and Status"
    ],
    [
      "bepress",
      "Affect and Emotion Regulation"
    ],
    [
      "bepress",
      "Individual Differences"
    ],
    [
      "bepress",
      "Meta-science"
    ],
    [
      "bepress",
      "Motivational Behavior"
    ],
    [
      "bepress",
      "Quantitative Methods"
    ],
    [
      "bepress",
      "Quantitative Psychology"
    ],
    [
      "bepress",
      "Self and Social Identity"
    ],
    [
      "bepress",
      "Self-regulation"
    ],
    [
      "bepress",
      "Social and Behavioral Sciences"
    ],
    [
      "bepress",
      "Social and Personality Psychology"
    ],
    [
      "bepress",
      "Sport Psychology"
    ],
    [
      "bepress",
      "Statistical Methods"
    ],
    [
      "openalex",
      "3204|Sport Psychology and Performance"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7223363959",
  "pdf_url": "https://osf.io/qzm5p/download",
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-10-23",
  "publisher": null,
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/6xq09bz9qm4b0.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:19:20Z",
      "native_id": "qzm5p",
      "source": "osf",
      "url": "https://osf.io/preprints/psyarxiv/qzm5p_v1/"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "mathematics",
      "origin": "bepress:Statistical Methods",
      "subfield": "statistics"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Questionable mediated effect of self-management on athletic performance: A comment on Fan et al. (2026)",
  "title_text": "Questionable mediated effect of self-management on athletic performance: A comment on Fan et al. (2026)",
  "type": "preprint",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:19:20Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/6xq09bz9qm4b0",
  "venue": "PsyArXiv",
  "versions": []
}