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"What do coaches do" and "how do they relate": their effects on athletes' psychological needs and functioning
1School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences, Loughborough University, Leicestershire, UK.
Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports
|December 21, 2012
Summary
Coaches’ interpersonal behaviors and relationships impact athletes’ psychological needs, enhancing their vitality and self-concept. This supports self-determination theory by showing how the social environment influences athlete well-being.
Area of Science:
- Sport Psychology
- Social Psychology
- Human Movement
Background:
- Self-determination theory posits that social environments influence psychological need satisfaction.
- Understanding the coach's role in athlete well-being is crucial for optimal performance and functioning.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the links between the coach's social environment (interpersonal behaviors, relationships) and athletes' psychological need satisfaction.
- To investigate the impact of these factors on athletes' well-being indicators.
Main Methods:
- 300 athletes completed questionnaires assessing social environment, psychological needs, and well-being.
- Bootstrap mediation analysis was employed to analyze the indirect effects.
Main Results:
- The need for competence significantly mediated the relationship between the coaching social environment and athletes' vitality, negative affect, and physical self-concept.
- Athletes' perceptions of their coaches' actions and relational quality were linked to need satisfaction.
Conclusions:
- The findings support self-determination theory's assumptions regarding the social environment's impact on psychological needs.
- Coaching behaviors and relationships are vital for athletes' psychological need satisfaction and overall functioning.
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