Children's task and ego goal profiles in sport

Area of Science:

• Child Psychology
• Sport Psychology
• Motivation Studies

Background:

• Previous research examined task and ego orientations separately.
• Understanding combined effects is crucial for youth sport engagement.
• Goal orientations significantly influence motivation in sports.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the combined impact of task and ego goal orientations on children's sport motivation.
• To analyze motivational differences across various task and ego orientation profiles.
• To identify factors contributing to sport enjoyment and perceived competence.

Main Methods:

• Utilized the Task and Ego Orientation in Sport Questionnaire.
• Categorized 231 children (115 boys, 116 girls, mean age 11.12) into four groups: low task/low ego, low task/high ego, high task/low ego, and high task/high ego.
• Assessed sport enjoyment and perceived sport competence for each group.

Main Results:

• The high task/high ego group reported the highest motivation, enjoyment, and competence.
• The low task/low ego group, predominantly girls, showed the least motivation and are at risk for sport non-participation.
• A task orientation was consistently linked to higher motivation than an ego orientation, regardless of perceived competence levels.

Conclusions:

• A strong task orientation is fundamental for sustained sport motivation in children.
• Integrating ego involvement with task orientation can boost enjoyment and competence without negative motivational effects.
• Task and ego profile analysis provides valuable insights into children's achievement motivation in sports.