Main and interactive effects of perceived competence and control on feelings of efficacy in youth sport

The psychological experience of competence is central to motivation for, and participation in, youth sport. To date, however, our understanding of this psychological phenomenon in sport has been limited to cognitive experiences of competence (e.g., perceived competence), with little exploration of affective experiences of competence as proposed in competence motivation theory (e.g., feelings of efficacy). In the present study, we examined the main and interactive effects of perceived competence and control on feelings of efficacy in youth sport. We recruited high school sport participants (N = 184; M_age = 15.48 years, SD_age = 0.99 years) to complete measures of perceived sport competence, implicit beliefs about athletic ability (i.e., perceived control), and competence-related pride, guilt, and shame in youth sport. A series of hierarchical multiple regression analyses provided consistent support for the main effects of perceived competence on feelings of efficacy. However, there was limited support for the main effects of perceived control on feelings of efficacy and no support for the interactive effects of perceived competence and control on feelings of efficacy. These findings provide partial support of competence motivation theory and have both theoretical implications for the psychological experience of competence and practical implications for regulating affective experiences of competence in youth sport.