Como distinguir jovens atletas que tencionam continuar a praticar desporto dos que não tencionam continuar a fazê-lo?

Abstract

The aim of this study was to verify whether it was possible to distinguish between young athletes who intended to continue playing sports and those who intended to dropout, based on their achievement goal, beliefs about their sport competence, perceived competence, intrinsic motivation and autonomy in sport practice. Three thousand and three hundred athletes of both sexes, aged between 10 and 18 years, completed the Portuguese versions of the Questionnaire de Conceptions Relatives à la Nature de l'Habilité Sportive [Conceptions About the Nature of Sport Competence Questionnaire], the Task and Ego Orientation in Sport Questionnaire, the Intrinsic Motivation Inventory, the Relative Autonomy Index, the Physical Self-Perception Profile, and also the Questionário sobre a Intenção de Praticar Desporto [Intention of Playing Sport Questionnaire]. The results showed that, based on the knowledge of how the participants perceived themselves (in relation to their competence and autonomy) and their standing (their goals and their intrinsic motivation) regarding their sport, it was possible to distinguish between those who intended to remain involved in sport and those who did not intend to do so. The intention to persist was associated with intrinsic motivation, self-determination, perceived competence, and the belief that sport competence is not specific; the intention to drop out of sport the next season was associated with less self-determined forms of motivation and the belief that sport competence is specific to a context or activity. Although generally similar, the responses of athletes of both sexes suggested some slight differences between boys and girls.