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Autonomy support, basic psychological needs and well-being in Mexican athletes
Jeanette López-Walle1, Isabel Balaguer, Isabel Castillo
1Facultad de Organización Deportiva, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Avda. Universidad s/n Cd. Universitaria, San Nicolás de los Garza, 66051 Nuevo León, Mexico, jmlopezw@yahoo.com.mx
The Spanish Journal of Psychology
|November 20, 2012
Summary
Coach autonomy support enhances young athletes' psychological well-being by fostering basic psychological needs satisfaction, leading to greater life satisfaction and vitality.
Area of Science:
- Sport Psychology
- Psychological Well-being
- Self-determination Theory
Background:
- Basic Needs Theory, a sub-theory of Self-determination Theory, posits that autonomy, competence, and relatedness are crucial for psychological well-being.
- Understanding these dynamics is vital in youth sports for fostering positive development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the relationship between perceived coach autonomy support, basic psychological needs satisfaction, and psychological well-being in young Mexican athletes.
- To analyze the mediating role of basic psychological needs satisfaction in this relationship.
Main Methods:
- A quantitative study involving 669 young Mexican athletes (mean age 13.95).
- Data collected via questionnaires assessing perceived coach autonomy support, basic psychological needs satisfaction, life satisfaction, and subjective vitality.
- Structural equation modeling was used for data analysis.
Main Results:
- Perceived coach autonomy support positively predicted the satisfaction of basic psychological needs (autonomy, competence, relatedness).
- Satisfaction of basic psychological needs, in turn, predicted higher subjective vitality and life satisfaction.
- Basic psychological needs satisfaction partially mediated the effect of coach autonomy support on psychological well-being.
Conclusions:
- Coach autonomy support is a significant factor in promoting psychological well-being among young athletes.
- Fostering athletes' basic psychological needs is essential for enhancing their overall well-being and vitality in the sport context.
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