Efficacy Beliefs Are Related to Task Cohesion: Communication Is a Mediator

1 Efficacy beliefs and communication are key constructs which have been targeted to 2 develop task cohesion. This study’s purpose was to: (1) examine whether collective efficacy, 3 team-focused other-efficacy, and team-focused relation-inferred self-efficacy (RISE) are 4 predictive of task cohesion, and (2) evaluate the possibility that communication mediates 5 efficacy-task cohesion relationships. British university team-sport athletes ( n = 250) 6 completed questionnaires assessing efficacy beliefs, communication (i.e., positive conflict, 7 negative conflict, and acceptance communication), and task cohesion (i.e., attractions to 8 group; ATG-T, group integration; GI-T). Data were subjected to a multi-group path analysis 9 to test mediation hypotheses while also addressing potential differences across males and 10 females. Across all athletes, collective efficacy and team-focused other-efficacy significantly 11 predicted ATG-T and GI-T directly. Positive conflict and acceptance communication 12 significantly mediated relationships between efficacy (team-focused other-efficacy, collective 13 efficacy) and cohesion (ATG-T, GI-T). Findings suggest enhancing athletes’ collective 14 efficacy and team-focused efficacy beliefs will encourage communication factors affecting 15 task cohesion. 16 17