Background: Several studies have examined the triple dark personality traits of athletic personality and self-esteem. But there is a research gap on the relationship between dark personality traits and athletic self-esteem. Aims: The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between dark personality traits and self-esteem of martial arts elites in Iran.
Method: The research was descriptive correlational. The statistical population included elite athletes in the fields of O-Sport, kickboxing and freestyle karate in Tehran in 2019. 385 male and female athletes aged 16-36 years were selected randomly as the statistical sample. Personality (Johnson & Webster, 2010) and athletic self-esteem (Willie & Knight 2002). Data were analyzed using one-sample T-test, two-sample T-test and ANOVA. Results: There was a significant negative relationship between dark personality traits and sport self-esteem (P< 0/05). Conclusions: Understanding the relationship between dark personality traits and athletic self-esteem enhances our ability to attribute personality traits.