Young athletes' motivational profiles
Juan Antonio Moreno Murcia1, Eduardo Cervelló Gimeno, David González-Cutre Coll
1Faculty of Sports Sciences, University of Murcia.
Journal of Sports Science & Medicine
|October 24, 2013
Summary
Young athletes
Area of Science:
- Sports Psychology
- Motivation in Sports
- Flow State Research
Background:
- Understanding athlete motivation is crucial for performance and well-being.
- Achievement Goal Theory and Self-Determination Theory offer frameworks for examining motivational differences.
- Dispositional flow, a measure of the tendency to experience flow, is linked to positive athletic experiences.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between motivational profiles and dispositional flow in young athletes.
- To identify distinct motivational profiles based on Achievement Goal Theory and Self-Determination Theory constructs.
- To explore demographic and training differences associated with these motivational profiles.
Main Methods:
- A sample of 413 young athletes (ages 12-16) completed validated questionnaires measuring motivational climate, goal orientations, and dispositional flow.
- Cluster analysis was employed to identify distinct motivational profiles.
- Demographic and training data were analyzed in relation to the identified profiles.
Main Results:
- Three motivational profiles emerged: 'self-determined,' 'non-self-determined,' and 'low self-determined/non-self-determined.'
- The 'self-determined' and 'non-self-determined' profiles showed similar moderate levels of dispositional flow.
- The 'self-determined' profile was more prevalent in females, individual sport athletes, and those training >3 days/week, while the 'non-self-determined' profile was more common in males, team sport athletes, and those training 2-3 days/week.
Conclusions:
- Motivational profiles significantly influence athlete characteristics and training patterns.
- Both task- and ego-oriented motivational profiles can be associated with moderate dispositional flow.
- Interventions aimed at fostering a self-determined motivational profile may enhance flow experiences in young athletes.
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