The role of perceived coaching behaviours on sport performance among female aesthetic group gymnasts

Abstract

This study aimed to test the relations of perceived autonomy-supportive and controlling behaviours from coaches with athletes’ sport performance during competition in a context of female aesthetic group gymnastics. In line with self-determination theory, it was expected that the sequence of perceived psychological needs satisfaction and autonomous motivation, and psychological needs frustration and controlled motivation would mediate these relationships. Female aesthetic group gymnasts (n=128) ages 11–20 years completed self-report measures of perceived autonomysupportive and controlling behaviours from coaches, athletes’ needs satisfaction and needs frustration, including the need for novelty, as well as athletes’ autonomous and controlled motivation. Athletes’ objective performance during the competition was also obtained. Results from the single-indicator structural equation modelling analyses revealed a positive, indirect relationship between perceived autonomy-supportive behaviour from coaches and athletes’ performance mediated by the sequence of needs satisfaction and autonomous motivation. Significant indirect relationship between perceived controlling behaviour from coaches and athletes’ performance mediated by the sequence of needs frustration and controlled motivation was not followed. However, a negative direct relationship of controlled motivation, instigated by needs frustration, on athletes’ performance was evident. Findings suggest that perceived autonomy-supportive behaviour from coaches is an essential antecedent to athletes’ performance in a female aesthetic group gymnastics.

Psychometric Assessment of the Need Satisfaction and Frustration Scale with Professional Romanian Athletes

“…The results obtained in the structural equation modeling provided criterion validity evidence for the Romanian sport version of the NSFS. They are in line with the hypotheses proposed in this research and with previous research conducted in sport [17][18][19][20][21]. Particu-larly, need satisfaction positively predicted autonomous motivation, while need frustration positively predicted both controlled motivation and amotivation.…”

“…Lastly, we gathered criterion validity evidence by inspecting the predictive relationships of need satisfaction and need frustration on motivation. In accordance with research conducted on sport [17][18][19][20][21], we hypothesized that autonomy, competence, and relatedness satisfaction would positively predict autonomous motivation, while the frustration of each BPN would positively predict both controlled motivation and amotivation in professional athletes.…”

“…In the sport context, a meaningful basis of research has analyzed the simultaneous effects of athletes' perceptions of need satisfaction and need frustration on their behavioral regulation. These results displayed that, whereas need satisfaction was positively associated with autonomous motivation (i.e., the behavior is undertaken by experiences based on self-endorsement, psychological freedom, and volition), need frustration was positively related to controlled motivation (i.e., the behavior is undertaken by experiences based on coercion and external and self-imposed pressure) or amotivation (i.e., the absence of competence to perform, or the absence of value or interest in the behavior) [17][18][19][20][21]. Specifically, SDT-based research argues that intrinsic motivation (i.e., the behavior is adopted by enjoyment, curiosity, and seeing new perspectives), integrated regulation (i.e., the behavior is adopted by being congruent with the individual's identity system) and identified regulation (i.e., the behavior is adopted by the recognition of its benefits) are autonomous forms of motivation [22].…”

Influence of coaches’ motivating style on motivation, and sport commitment of young water polo players

“…To the best of our knowledge, there are very few studies in the sport context that have examined the differentiated effects of both athletes' perceptions of need-supportive and controlling coaching style on reported need satisfaction, need frustration, motivation and sport commitment. 19,21,28,30,31 The results from these studies did not shed light on the cross-relationships between these variables. For instance, the studies by Bartholomew et al 28 and González et al 30 revealed that while the perceived autonomy-supportive style was negatively related to reported need frustration, a non-significant relationship was found between perceived controlling style and reported need satisfaction among athletes.…”

Validity and reliability evidence for the Behavioral Regulation in Sport Questionnaire with Romanian professional athletes

“…In this regard, the SDT postulates that autonomous forms of motivation would lead to adaptive affective behavioral and cognitive outcomes ( Ryan & Deci, 2020 ; Ryan et al, 2021 ) such as performance ( Koka et al, 2020 ), commitment ( Pulido et al, 2018 ), intention to continue the sports practice ( Monteiro et al, 2018 ) and resilience ( Trigueros et al, 2020 ) among athletes. Particularly, from a theoretical viewpoint, the relationship between autonomous forms of motivation and resilience is argued in the fact that autonomously motivated athletes often tended to improve their skills and overcome challenges regardless of unfavorable and stressful events, promoting a resilient behavior ( Trigueros et al, 2020 ).…”