Introduction: Early maladaptive schemas and self-control are key factors in athletes’ psychological development, learning, and performance. The present study aimed to predict athletes’ self-control based on early maladaptive schemas and to compare these variables between athletes in individual and team sports.

Methods: This research employed a descriptive–correlational and causal–comparative design. The statistical population consisted of active athletes in Razavi Khorasan Province (2022–2023), from whom 864 individuals (376 individual-sport athletes and 488 team-sport athletes) were selected using a convenience sampling method. Research instruments included the Young Early Maladaptive Schema Questionnaire–Short Form and the Tangney Self-Control Scale. Data were analyzed using independent t-tests, Pearson correlation, and multiple regression.

Results: There were no significant differences between individual-sport and team-sport athletes in terms of self-control and early maladaptive schemas (p>.05). However, most schemas showed a significant negative relationship with self-control (r = −0.21 to −0.47 in individual sports and r=−0.18 to −0.51 in team sports; p<.001). The schemas explained 38.8% and 36.8% of the variance in self-control among individual-sport and team-sport athletes, respectively (p < 0.01). In both groups, emotional inhibition and unrelenting standards were negative predictors of self-control (β=−1.56 to −4.86), whereas subjugation (β=−0.018 to −0.24) and hypervigilance/overalertness (β=−3.54 to −5.51) showed an increasing contribution (p<.01).

Conclusion: The type of sport does not influence early maladaptive schemas or self-control, as these characteristics are more deeply rooted in individual factors. However, early maladaptive schemas substantially undermine athletes’ self-control.