Transcontextual development of motivation in sport injury prevention among elite athletes

J Sport Exerc Psychol. 2012 Oct;34(5):661-82. doi: 10.1123/jsep.34.5.661.

Abstract

The present study investigated the transcontextual process of motivation in sport injury prevention. We examined whether general causality orientation, perceived autonomy support from coaches (PAS), self-determined motivation (SD-Mtv), and basic need satisfaction in a sport context predicted SD-Mtv, beliefs, and adherence with respect to sport injury prevention. Elite athletes (N = 533) completed self-report measures of the predictors (Week 1) and the dependent variables (Week 2). Variance-based structural equation modeling supported hypotheses: SD-Mtv in a sport context was significantly predicted by PAS and basic need satisfaction and was positively associated with SD-Mtv for sport injury prevention when controlling for general causality orientation. SD-Mtv for sport injury prevention was a significant predictor of adherence to injury-preventive behaviors and beliefs regarding safety in sport. In conclusion, the transcontextual mechanism of motivation may explain the process by which distal motivational factors in sport direct the formation of proximal motivation, beliefs, and behaviors of sport injury prevention.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Athletes / psychology*
  • Athletic Injuries / prevention & control*
  • Athletic Injuries / psychology
  • China
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Models, Statistical
  • Motivation*
  • Risk Reduction Behavior
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Young Adult