Cognitive-affective sources of sport enjoyment in adolescent sport participants

Cognitive-affective sources of sport enjoyment were examined among male high school freshmen (N = 231), all of whom had participated in organized youth sport. Subjects completed several sport-specific measures. Also, recorded was an indicator of number of years of participation in organized sport. Stepwise multiple regression analysis indicated that significant sources of sport enjoyment included task orientation, perceived competence, learned helpless affect, and years of participation in organized sport. Results also indicated, however, that ego orientation failed to enter the stepwise equation as a significant predictor of sport enjoyment. The findings are discussed in regard to the importance of the development of competence to enjoyment. Suggestions are offered for the need to advance task orientation and self-referenced perceived ability in sport achievement settings in order to foster positive affect and ongoing participation in organized youth sport.