Perceived Motivational Climate and Team Cohesion in Adolescent Athletes

Abstract

T his study was conducted to determine whether adolescent athletes' perceptions of their team's level and type of cohesion would be related to, or differ as a function of, their perceptions of their team's motivational climate. This hypothesized link was assessed using both group comparison and multivariate correlational analyses. Study participants (N = 351 adolescent athletes) were recruited from sports camps conducted for high school-aged athletes at universities, colleges, and other sport facilities throughout the United States. Athletes completed questionnaires to assess perceived coach-initiated motivational climate (PMCSQ-2) and perceived team cohesion (GEQ). Based on their scores on perceived motivational climate, athletes were divided into four climate type groups: Low Task/Low Ego; Low Task/High Ego; High Task/Low Ego; High Task/High Ego. MANOVA comparisons revealed that athletes in both high task groups (High Task/Low Ego and High Task/High Ego) exhibited higher perceptions of all forms of group cohesion. Canonical correlation analyses verified the primary link between a task-oriented team climate and high levels of group cohesion but also revealed some positive aspects of an ego-oriented climate. The obtained results revealed that a coach-initiated task-oriented climate is most strongly linked to high levels of perceived team cohesion. However, elements of an ego-oriented climate can also be positively associated with high levels of team cohesiveness provided they are accompanied by selected components of a mastery climate. Keywords 26Over the past couple of decades, a relatively large number of sport psychology-based studies have been conducted to examine cohesiveness within competitive sport teams. Recent reviews of this research (e.g., Carron & Brawley, 2008;Carron, Eys, & Martin, 2012) have provided support for the notion that high levels of cohesiveness within teams can serve as a facilitator of athletes' psychosocial well-being and possibly their performance. These reviews have also identified a number of factors that may impact team cohesion levels. One such factor may be the behavior of the coach. Although there is a relatively large literature base (see reviews by Chelladurai, 2007;Côté & Gilbert, 2009;Duda & Balaguer, 2007) examining how coaches' behaviors affect the psychological responses of individual athletes, there is less research that has looked at the effects of coaches' behaviors on the psychological well-being of the team.The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between the type of motivational climate that coaches create in practice and competitive contexts and their adolescent athletes' perceptions of their team's cohesiveness. This link was examined using both group comparison and multivariate correlational procedures. To provide a context for this study, the relevant research on cohesion and motivational climate is reviewed in the following sections. Team CohesionWithin the sport setting, team or group cohesion has been defined by Carron, Widmeyer, and Brawle...

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“…In addition, a strong motivation climate leads up to positive experiences and satisfaction in future athletic activities [43]. Mastery motivational climate is positively correlated to the need for developing ability, autonomy and interpersonal relationships [44], cohesiveness [45] and negatively correlated to stress [46].…”

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“…Researchers who have examined coaching attitudes and focused on training coaches to use a mastery motivational climate approach to coaching, including the promotion of prosocial behaviour, have demonstrated a positive impact on attendance at training, attitude towards the sport and coach, motivation, and perceptions of team cohesion (Bardel et al, 2010;Gould, Flett, & Lauer, 2012;Horn, Byrd, Martin, & Young, 2012;McLaren et al, 2015;Smith et al, 2007). The quality of relationships has also been found to be significant when examining parental influences on a young person's engagement in and enjoyment of sport.…”

“…Including the coaching staff strengthens the learnings in the program through positive role modelling (e.g., coaching staff model the program skills during training and competitions). The decision to use coaching staff as mentors is supported by the research in Chapter 1 (e.g., Bardel et al, 2010;Holt et al, 2017;Horn et al, 2012;Hurd et al, 2011;McLaren et al, 2015;Smith et al, 2007).…”

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