Coaches’ Motivational Style and Athletes’ Fear of Failure

Juan Antonio Moreno-Murcia, Elisa Huéscar Hernández, Luis Conte Marín and Juan L. Nuñez
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Juan Antonio Moreno-Murcia: Sports Research Center, Miguel Hernández University of Elche, Avda. de la Universidad, s/n, 03130 Elche, Spain
Elisa Huéscar Hernández: Departament of Health Psychology, Miguel Hernández University of Elche, Avda. Universidad, s/n, 30202 Elche, Spain
Luis Conte Marín: Departament of Physical Activity and Sports, University of Murcia, C/Argentina, s/n, San Javier, 30720 Murcia, Spain
Juan L. Nuñez: Department of Psychology, Sociology and Social Work, University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, C/Santa Juana de Arco, 1, 35004 Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain

IJERPH, 2019, vol. 16, issue 9, 1-11

Abstract: Background : The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between coaches’ interpersonal style and fear of failure in athletes. Methods : A sample of 340 athletes at the Federation Level with a mean age of 18.96 years ( SD = 5.69 years.) comprised the sample. Athletes completed questionnaires related to fear of failure in sports as well as their perceptions of the extent to which their coaches provided support for athlete autonomy and control. Results : The results revealed a significant and positive relationship between coaches’ controlling style and athletes’ fear of failure whereas coach autonomy support was associated with reduced fear of failure. Through the use of cluster analysis, two athlete profiles emerged. One profile indicated moderate levels of fear of failure among those athletes who perceived a controlling coaching style. The second profile revealed a cluster of athletes with low levels of fear of failure and favorable perceptions of coach support for athlete autonomy. Conclusions : These findings provide further evidence for the role of coaches as social influences capable of contributing to both adaptive and maladaptive psychological outcomes for athletes in sports.

Keywords: fear; autonomy support; controlling style; self-determined motivation; sport (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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