How coaches’ need-supportive and controlling behaviors are related to different (mal)adaptive outcomes in water polo players

A person-centered approach

Bibliographic Data

ID21624437
AuthorsÁngel Abós (0000-0002-1543-5109, Universidad de Zaragoza, corresponding author), Miguel Murillo (0009-0008-7177-1351, Universidad de Zaragoza), Javier Sevil-Serrano (0000-0002-2077-1983, Universidad de Zaragoza), Luis García-González (0000-0001-8115-0649, Universidad de Zaragoza)
Year2023
Volume42
Issue10
Pages8085-8096
Publication date2023-04-01
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueCurrent Psychology (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1046-1310 • E-ISSN: 1936-4733
PublisherSpringer Science and Business Media LLC (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1007/s12144-021-02101-y
OpenAlexW3183284005
LanguageEN
Citations received5
References cited26

The relationship between both coaches’ need-supportive and controlling behaviors and different athletes’ motivational outcomes has been previously examined. However, little is known about the coexistence of coaches’ need-supportive and controlling behaviors in the sports context and even less, about what coach’s motivating style configuration may yield the most and the least adaptive pattern of outcomes in relation to athletes’ motivating experiences. Grounded in self-determination theory (SDT), this study aimed to identify coach motivating style groups based on athletes’ perceptions of need-supportive and four controlling behaviors (i.e., controlling use of rewards, negative conditional regard, intimidation, and personal control), and to examine their differences in terms of athletes’ motivational outcomes and sport commitment. Using a sample of 658 young water polo players ( M age = 14.76, SD = 1.36), results revealed five distinct coach motivating style groups. A coexistence of need-supportive and controlling use of rewards was identified among athletes in two groups. The “very low support-high control” group yielded the most maladaptive outcomes, while the “high support-low control” group was the most optimal style, even when compared to coaches that combined high need-supportive and controlling practices. This study provides deeper insights on how athletes may perceive simultaneously coach’s need-supportive and controlling behaviors, and how some controlling practices imply a higher motivational cost among athletes

Athletes · Developmental psychology · Perception · Physical therapy · Applied Psychology · Behavioral Health and Interventions · Motivation and Self-Concept in Sports · Psychology · Social Psychology · Sport Psychology and Performance

Tools

Open DOIOpen Access