Parental Behavior, Cognitive Appraisal, and Motivation in Young Athletes. Issue 1 (2nd January 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Gomes, A. Rui; Gonçalves, A. Manuela; Dias, Olga; Morais, Catarina
• Is Part Of: Research quarterly for exercise and sport. Volume 90:Issue 1(2019)
• Page Start: 80
• Page End: 94
• Publication Date: 2019-01-02
• Subjects: Youth sports -- parental pressure -- primary appraisal -- goal orientation; Physical education and training -- Periodicals; Health education -- Periodicals; Recreation -- Periodicals; Physical Education and Training -- Periodicals; Sports -- Periodicals; Exercise -- Periodicals; Education -- Periodicals; Lichamelijke opvoeding; Sport; Exercice -- Périodiques; Sports -- Périodiques; 613.7105
• DOI: 10.1080/02701367.2018.1563278
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0270-1367

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Purpose: This study tested two hypotheses relating young athletes' sports motivations to parental behaviors and cognitive appraisal: (1) young athletes' motivation in sports is related to their parents' behavior; and (2) this relationship is mediated by cognitive appraisal, even after controlling for competitive level and sports records.Method: This cross-sectional study included 673 young athletes and it measured the athletes' perceptions of parental behaviors, cognitive appraisal, and sports motivation.Results: Structural equation modeling confirmed Hypothesis 1–the mother's behaviors accounted for 15 to 16% of the variance in sports motivation, and the father's behaviors accounted for 12 to 21% of the variance. The correlation patterns differed according to whether the athletes were evaluating the mother's or father's behaviors. Hypothesis 2 also was confirmed, for cognitive appraisal partially mediated the relationship between the perception of parental behaviors and sports motivation (34% of the variance was accounted for by the perception of the mother's behavior; 30% by the father's). The mediating model did not vary with competitive level or sports records.Conclusion: Parental behaviors and cognitive appraisal need to be taken into account to understand young athletes' sports motivations.