Analysis of the relationship between different psychological variables in the sporting environment of footballers

Abstract

Psychological variables such as motivational climate, goal orientations, basic psychological sport needs and team cohesion have an influence on sports performance. This study aims at examining the relationships among that set of psychological variables (motivational climate, goal orientation, basic psychological sport needs and cohesion) in male and female footballers. Participants were 175 soccer players, aged 12 to 26 (M = 15.59, SD = 2.80), competing in different levels of the Spanish Football League. They all took four questionnaires aimed at evaluating the motivational climate (mastery and execution), goal orientations (task and ego-involving), psychological needs (for competence, autonomy and relation) and cohesion (group-task or group-social). The analyses of correlation and regression show significant statistic relations particularly that between mastery climate, task orientation and the three basic psychological needs in sport. Furthermore, the best variable in predicting psychological needs is mastery (involving) climate. The presence of a perceived mastery (involving) motivational climate is significantly related to other positive psychological variables for sport practice.