Table 1_Cross-sectional associations of maladaptive sleep-hygiene behaviors with athlete engagement among provincial- and municipal-level athletes in Sichuan, China.docx

Measurement quality, construct differentiation, common-method diagnostics, out-of-sample prediction, demographic adjustment, alternative cross-sectional specifications, and subgroup robustness were evaluated.</p>Results<p>More frequent MSHB were associated with greater fatigue [β = 0.491, 95% CI (0.408, 0.573)], greater difficulties in emotion regulation [β = 0.178, 95% CI (0.079, 0.274)], and lower athlete engagement [β = −0.264, 95% CI (−0.370, −0.161)].

Fatigue was associated with greater difficulties in emotion regulation [β = 0.588, 95% CI (0.500, 0.673)] and lower engagement [β = −0.325, 95% CI (−0.446, −0.205)]; difficulties in emotion regulation were also associated with lower engagement [β = −0.232, 95% CI (−0.351, −0.108)]. The total indirect association was [β = −0.268, 95% CI (−0.338, −0.204)], and the model explained 47.2% of engagement variance. Demographic adjustment yielded comparable estimates.

Reverse-order and parallel specifications fitted the cross-sectional covariance structure equally well.</p>Conclusion<p>Within the sampled setting, more frequent MSHB co-occurred with greater fatigue, more difficulties in emotion regulation, and lower athlete engagement. Fatigue accounted for the largest specific indirect association. The single-occasion self-report design leaves actual sleep disturbance, temporal sequence, and causal effects unresolved.</p>