Motivational patterns in persistent swimmers: A serial mediation analysis

Objective: The main objective of the present study was to examine the associations between coach-created task-involving climate and athletes` intentions to continue practicing sport, through a serial mediation analysis that included basic psychological needs satisfaction (BPN), self-determined motivation (SDM) and enjoyment. Methods: Seven-hundred and ninety-nine elite swimmers (450 males, 349 females; aged 12-22 years, M = 16.65, SD = 2.83) participated in the present study. Groups were created according to age, years of experience, and gender. Results: Serial mediation analysis provided support for the proposed model where BPN's and enjoyment represent the most important mediators between task-involving climate and athletes` intentions to continue sport practice. Conclusion: Enjoyment stands out as the most relevant predictor of intention to persist and as a significant mediator in the relation between task-involvement climate, BPN, SDM, and long-term sports practice. The task-involving climate created by coaches appears to set in motion a sequence where the satisfaction of basic needs and SDM lead to more enjoyment and increased persistence among young athletes.
© Copyright 2020 European Journal of Sport Science. Wiley. All rights reserved.

Bibliographic Details
Subjects:
Notations:endurance sports social sciences
Published in:European Journal of Sport Science
Language:English
Published: 2020
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1080/17461391.2019.1675768
Volume:20
Issue:5
Pages:660-669
Document types:article
Level:advanced