Sources of Sport-Confidence: Conceptualization and Instrument Development

Abstract

The purposes of this study were to identify sources of self-confidence in athletes within the sport-confidence framework of Vealey (1986, 1988), develop a reliable and valid measure of sources of sport-confidence, and extend the conceptual framework of sport-confidence to include sources and test predictions within the expanded model. In Phases 1, 2, and 3 of the study, the preliminary conceptual basis for sources of sport-confidence was developed and initial psychometric evidence supported the factor structure, reliability, and validity of the Sources of Sport-Confidence Questionnaire (SSCQ) with 335 college athletes. In Phase 4, a confirmatory factor analysis supported the hypothesized nine-factor structure of the SSCQ using 208 high school basketball players as participants. The theoretical and practical significance of certain sources of confidence in building stable and enduring self-confidence and motivation in sport are discussed based on the study results.

The role of confidence in world-class sport performance

“…The findings of the present study emphasize the importance of the sources of sport confidence identified by Hays et al (2007) and Vealey et al (1998), as these would seem imperative to the confidence of athletes. The sources from which athletes derive their confidence are not only sport specific, but also influenced by demographic and organizational factors.…”

“…Thus, it is perhaps not surprising that the study of self-confidence has featured prominently in sport psychology literature, with social cognitive theories such as Bandura's (1977) self-efficacy theory and Vealey's (1986Vealey's ( , 1998Vealey's ( , 2001) models of sport confidence providing the basis for most of this work. Vealey provided the first model of sport confidence in 1986 in an attempt to develop a sport-specific framework and inventories to operationalize confidence in competitive sport.…”

“…Martens, Vealey, & Burton, 1990;Vealey, 1986;Vealey & Campbell, 1988;Vealey, Hayashi, Garner-Holman, & Giacobbi, 1998). Recent investigations within the stress domain have found self-confidence to be a moderating factor in the interpretation of pre-competition symptoms, where high confidence in some way protects or overrides debilitative interpretations of pre-competition emotions usually perceived as negative (i.e.…”

“…Lirgg, George, Chase, & Ferguson, 1996), female world-class athletes tend to be situationally dependent on external information in establishing performance expectations. Vealey et al (1998) suggested that athletes who derive their confidence from uncontrollable sources could develop weaker or unstable perceptions of control and competence. Corbin (1981) found that the threat of playing ''a good opponent'' could create a vulnerability in women that is not experienced by men.…”

Exploring the interactions underlying flow states: A connecting analysis of flow occurrence in European Tour golfers

“…Similarly, environmental comfort and 21 situational favourableness are reported to be sources of sport confidence (Vealey et al, 1998), 22 which in turn provides a foundation for flow occurrence. Positive feedback increased confidence for these players, and in particular, intrinsic 6 feedback was reported to be relevant for flow occurrence: Not so much hitting a good shot but getting a feeling: "oooh that felt easy to do...that which is the hard bit and that...only comes through hard work and dedication.…”