Keegan-Spray PSE 2009.pdf (281.41 kB)
A qualitative investigation exploring the motivational climate in early career sports participants: coach, parent and peer influences on sport motivation
journal contribution
posted on 2013-01-03, 13:37 authored by Richard J. Keegan, Chris Harwood, Christopher SprayChristopher Spray, David E. LavalleeObjectives: The objectives of this research were a) to explore the applicability of ‘motivational climate’
research to early career athletes under the age of twelve, b) to re-examine the concept of ‘motivational
climate’ in the light of recent scientific developments, and c) to concurrently study the influences of
coaches, parents and peers on athletic motivation.
Design and Method: Using a qualitative design, 40 participants (7–11 years of age) from various sports
were interviewed in focus groups, using a semi-structured format to investigate the roles played by
coaches, parents, and peers in influencing athlete motivation. An inductive content analysis was conducted
to determine which behaviours among these social agents influenced key motivational outcomes.
Findings: The analysis indicated that young athletes experience a motivational climate which shows
consistencies with existing models of motivation; suggesting this population is worthy of further study.
The influences of coaches related most strongly to the manner in which they perform their roles of
instruction and assessment, whereas parents’ influences were most salient in terms of the way they
support the child’s participation and learning. Both parents and coaches exerted influences through their
leadership styles, affective responses and pre-performance behaviours. Peers influenced participants’
motivation through competitive behaviours, collaborative behaviours, evaluative communications and
through their social relationships.
Conclusions: This study provides an insight into the motivational climate experienced by young athletes
and helps to delineate the different roles of social agents in influencing their motivation at this early
stage of development.
History
School
- Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences
Citation
KEEGAN, R.J. ... et al, 2009. A qualitative investigation exploring the motivational climate in early career sports participants: coach, parent and peer influences on sport motivation. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 10 (3), pp. 361 - 372.Publisher
© Elsevier LtdVersion
- AM (Accepted Manuscript)
Publication date
2009Notes
This article was published in the journal Psychology of Sport and Exercise [© Elsevier Ltd]. The definitive version is available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.psychsport.2008.12.003ISSN
1469-0292Publisher version
Language
- en