Explaining the Relationship of Factors Related to Career Plateauing among Iranian Wrestling Coaches

The aim of this study was to explain the relationship of factors related to career plateauing among Iranian wrestling coaches. The research employed a mixed-method approach (qualitative-quantitative) within a sequential exploratory design. In the qualitative phase, thematic analysis was used, while the DEMATEL technique was applied in the quantitative phase. Participants included 14 individuals who were purposefully selected from Iranian wrestling coaches based on criteria such as work experience, coaching level, and accessibility. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and an 18×18 matrix. To evaluate the research's validity, Lincoln and Guba's (1985) criteria, including credibility, transferability, dependability, and confirmability, were utilized. The qualitative results identified 66 sub-themes and 18 main themes related to career plateauing. Quantitative findings revealed that factors influencing career plateauing were divided into two main categories: influencing factors and influenced factors. Influencing factors included work-life imbalance, rigid organizational structures, static policies, inefficient evaluation systems, and social pressures, which played key roles in causing career plateauing. Conversely, influenced factors such as organizational plateau, content plateau, personal plateau, coach cynicism, and negative job attitudes were primarily identified as outcomes of workplace conditions. The findings of this study can contribute to improving working conditions and reducing career plateauing among wrestling coaches. It is recommended that the wrestling federation, provincial boards, and clubs revise organizational structures and policies and focus on achieving a balance between work and life for coaches to mitigate these factors.