Achievment goal theory,perceived coaching behaviors and intrinsic motivation in high school teamm sports

Introduction

Since coaching related research is limited and there are calls for increased study in this area [8],[2], this study tried to contribute to an evolving database concerning perceived coaching behaviors in competitive high school athletics. Other than coaches’ personality characteristics, the study of coaches’ leadership styles and their observed behaviors became a focus within coaching effectiveness research [5].

Methods

Male and female high school athletes (N=144) and their coaches (N=18) from three sports (basketball, baseball and softball) completed an Athletes’ and Coaches’ Multi-Section Questionnaire including Perceived Competence Scale (PCS) Harter’s [4] Self-Perception Profile for Adolescent, the Perceived Motivational Climate in Sport Questionnaire (PMCSQ) [6], the Task and Ego Orientation in Sport Questionnaire (TEOSQ)[3], the Leadership Scale for Sports [1] and the Intrinsic Motivation Inventory (IMI) [7].

Results

The multivariate multiple regression for goal perspectives and perceived coaching behaviors revealed that a significant function indicates that athletes who had higher task-orientation (.99), task climate (.30) and lower ego-orientation (-.62) felt higher training/instruction (.92), democratic behavior (.46), higher social support (.70), positive feedback (.80), and lower autocratic behavior (-.39) from their coaches. The multivariate multiple regression produced a significant function indicating that athletes who perceived more training/instruction (.77), higher democratic behaviors (.53), more social support (.73), higher positive feedback (.58) and lower autocratic behaviors (-.62), felt more interest/enjoyment (.93), more effort/importance (.69) and less tension and pressure (-.60) in a given sport context.

Discussion/Conclusions

The results revealed that a multivariate relationship among goal orientations, motivational climate and perceived coaching behaviors does exist. Also, the findings have extended previous research by showing the possible association of perceived coaching behaviors with the interest and enjoyment of athletes, as well as the effort and importance, and pressure and tension that they were feeling during practices and games. The findings agree with Achievement Goal Theory predictions that promoting task climate by coaches let athletes perceived positive coaching behavior as well as higher intrinsic motivation indices in a given athletic setting.

References

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