Year: 2008
Type: dissertation
Abstract: This thesis is comprised of four studies. The first study developed longer\nversions of the Coach-Athlete Relationship Questionnaire (CART-Q), both its direct\nperspective (Jowett & Ntoumanis, 2004) and meta-perspective (Jowett, in press)\nInstruments that measure the quality of a dyadic relationship were reviewed and\nitems relevant to the coach-athlete relationship were highlighted. Ev1dence of the\ncontent validity of selected items was provided via expert panels and statistical\nsupport for the criterion and construct validity of the new measure was\ndemonstrated using a sample of 693 participants (383 athletes and 310 coaches).\nEv1dence was also found for the internal consistency/reliability of the longer\nversions of the CART-Q.\nStudy 2 involved a systematic review of effective relationship enhancement\nprogrammes in order to identify their underlying strategies. Programmes were\nanalysed based on the elements Within Jowett's (2005b, 2007) 3+ I C\nconceptualisation of the coach-athlete relationship. Therefore, factors that could\npotentially promote closeness, commitment, complementanty and co-orientation\nwithin the coach-athlete relationship were identified. Recommendations are made\nfor implementing these strategies within any programme that aims to enhance\nrelationships in sport. The need to develop relationship enhancement programmes in\nsport, which are based on sound scientific theory and research evidence, was a key\nfinding of this systematic review.\nStudy 3 is an explorative qualitative study into the maintenance strategies that\nare used by coaches and athletes. Twelve one-to-one interviews with 6 coaches and\n6 athletes from team and individual sports were conducted. Content analysis\nrevealed a number of main categories and sub-categories The main seven\ncategories were: Conflict Management, Openness, Motivational, Positivity, Advice,\nSupport and Social Networks These categories represented mutually exclusive\nmaintenance strategies and formulated the COMPASS model of relationship\nmaintenance in sport.\nThe fourth and final study employed the COMPASS model to develop a\nmeasure of the use of maintenance strategies within the coach-athlete relationship\n(coach-athlete relationship mamtenance questionnaire: CARM-Q). A pool of 50\nitems were generated based on relevant theory and research, including the data\ngained in Study 3. The content validity of these items was established using an\nexpert panel. The items were then administered to 251 participants (146 athletes and\n105 coaches). Principal Components Analysis (PCA) was used to identify the latent\nunderlying structure. A 28 item measure was created with 7 sub-scales measuring;\nconflict management, openness, motivational, preventative, assurance, support and\nsocial network strategies. These seven factors comprise the revised COMPASS\nmodel of relationship maintenance in sport.\nEvidence of the content, construct and criterion validity, as well as the internal\nconsistency/reliability, of the CARM-Q was found. A series of regression analyses\nalso revealed that one can predict a relatively high amount of the variance in\nperceptions of closeness, commitment and complementarity based on the use of\nmaintenance strategies. As a whole, this thesis makes a significant contribution to\nour understanding of the quality of a coach-athlete relationship and the ways in\nwhich this can be maintained.
Author: Daniel Rhind
Language: English
Subfield: Developmental and Educational Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
Funder: Loughborough University
OpenAlex ID: W810768765