The company we keep: Exploring the relationship between perceived teammate self-compassion and athlete self-compassion. (January 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Crozier, Alyson J.; Mosewich, Amber D.; Ferguson, Leah J.
• Is Part Of: Psychology of sport and exercise. Volume 40(2019)
• Page Start: 152
• Page End: 155
• Publication Date: 2019-01
• Subjects: Social norm -- Sport -- Team sport -- Self-attitude -- Coping; Sports -- Psychological aspects -- Periodicals; Exercise -- Psychological aspects -- Periodicals; Psychology -- Periodicals; Sports -- Periodicals; Exercise -- Periodicals; Societies, Medical -- Periodicals; Psychology; Sports; Exercise; Societies, Medical; Sports -- Aspect psychologique -- Périodiques; Exercice -- Aspect psychologique -- Périodiques; 613.71019
• DOI: 10.1016/j.psychsport.2018.10.005
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1469-0292

Abstract

Abstract: Objectives: The purpose was to explore the relationship between athletes' self-compassion and perceptions of their teammates' self-compassion (descriptive norm). A secondary purpose was to explore whether gender moderated this relationship. Design: Cross-sectional, online survey. Method: Team sport competitive athletes ( N = 108; M age = 23.1 years; SD age = 4.68) reported their descriptive norm perceptions of their teammates' self-compassion as well as their own self-compassion. Results: Hierarchical regression analysis indicated a positive relationship between descriptive norms and self-compassion, explaining 17.2% of the variance in self-compassion. The more it was perceived that teammates were engaging in self-compassion, the more likely athletes reported being self-compassionate (β = 0.39). There were no significant main or interaction effects of gender. Conclusions: Athletes' self-compassion is related to their perceptions of how often their teammates are self-compassionate. Coaches and sport psychologists should encourage athletes to build awareness about how their cognitions and behaviours relate to others' cognitions and behaviours. Highlights: Team sport athletes (n = 108) participated via online surveys in a cross-sectional design. Athlete perceptions of their teammates' self-compassion positively related to individual self-compassion. Gender did not moderate the relationship.