Intrinsic motivation predicting performance satisfaction in athletes: Further psychometric evaluations of the sport motivation scale-6

Abstract

The study investigated psychometric properties of the Sport Motivation Scale-6 (SMS-6), assessing intrinsic regulation, four extrinsic regulation constructs, and amotivation among athletes competing at a regional and national level. In particular, we tested the factorial structure of SMS-6, its short-term stability, and the associations of SMS-6 constructs with self-efficacy, self-esteem, motivational climate, and satisfaction with sport performance. Participants were 197 athletes (57.4% women), representing team (54.7%) and individual disciplines. The measurement was repeated at the three-week follow-up (n = 107). Results yielded support for the six first-order factor structure (three second-order factors). More autonomous forms of motivation were related to higher levels of self-efficacy, performance satisfaction, and taskoriented motivational climate in sport organizations. Sequential multiple mediation analysis showed that the association between general self-efficacy and performance satisfaction at a follow-up was mediated by introjected regulation and personal-barrier self-efficacy.