Age matters. A study on motivation, flow and self-esteem in competing athletes.
Year: 2006
Type: dissertation
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: The present study tested whether there were any differences between athletes varying in age, or practising different sports at different levels, on the variables motivation, flow, self-esteem and personality. \nOf the 145 athletes that participated in the study, there were 85 males and 59 females (one missing) ranging from 18 to 40 years of age (M = 21.34, SD = 3.89). The athletes were grouped as team sport athletes (n = 74) and individual sport athletes (n = 71) in order to determine if the groups differed on any of the variables. Some of the athletes (n = 93) were also grouped as elite athletes. Team sport athletes were shown to have higher scores on the personality trait conscientiousness than individual sport athletes. The group of elite athletes showed a positive correlation with identified regulation and the dimension challenge-skill balance of the flow scale. The results also revealed that age was the best predictor of self-competence, behavioural regulation, and the challenge-skill balance. It seems likely that these results can be generalized to other groups of athletes, and that age might be an important predictor in general.
Author: Toril Fossmo
Language: English
Subfield: Social Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W54293314