College baseball players’ perception of their team climate and mental health

The purpose of this study, grounded in the Achievement Goal Perspective Theory (AGPT) and a Caring framework, was to examine the extent that collegiate baseball players’ perceptions of their team climate (i.e., caring, task-, and ego-involving climate) predict their mental well-being. Baseball players (N = 127) completed measures assessing perceptions of team climate (Perceived Motivational Climate in Sport Questionnaire, Caring Climate Scale) and mental well-being (World Health Organization-Five Well-Being Index). Spearman correlation analysis revealed a positive relationship between the caring and task-involving climate scales, and mental well-being, respectively. In a full entry model linear regression, caring climate emerged as a positive predictor of mental well-being, explaining 25% of the variance of athletes’ mental well-being scores. The findings suggest that encouraging coaches to foster a caring and task-involving climate might assist in enhancing collegiate athletes’ mental well-being. Athletes perceiving a high caring and task-involving environment are more likely to experience improved mental well-being.Our research was supported in part by the Wu Tsai Foundation

Youth perceptions of a caring climate, emotional regulation and psychological well-being

ManuscriptThe purpose of this study was to examine the meditational effect of perceived affective self-regulatory efficacy on the relationship between youth sport participants? perceived caring climate and their mental well-being. Three hundred and 95 participants (mean age = 11.80 ? 1.54) from a National Youth Sport Program were recruited for the study. Participants completed a battery of questionnaires including demographic information, the Caring Climate Scale, the Affective Self-Regulatory Efficacy measure, and measures of psychological well-being (i.e., depression, hope, sadness, and happiness). Results from the structural equation model analysis of the proposed mediational model revealed that both positive and negative affective self-regulatory efficacy mediated the relationship between the perceived caring climate and mental well-being. Findings from this study call attention to the importance of creating a caring climate in youth sport programs to foster positive mental well-being in young athletes via their affective self-regulatory efficacy

The influence of injured athletes perceptions of social support from ATCs on athletes' beliefs about rehabilitation

This is the publisher's version, also found at http://ehis.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail?vid=3&sid=cc60431c-6281-4940-bc2d-85f4c9ff2060%40sessionmgr11&hid=17&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=s3h&AN=24665314Objective: To determine whether athletes’ perceptions of social support from their certified athletic trainers (ATCs) were related to their beliefs about the rehabilitation process. Design: Division I athletes (N = 57) completed a survey including measures of social support and beliefs about rehabilitation. Participants: Division I college athletes (35 men, 22 women) who had sustained an injury that caused them to miss no less than 5 consecutive days. Measurements: The Social Support Survey (SSS) and the Sports Injury Rehabilitation Beliefs Survey (SIRBS). Results: Results revealed significant correlations between the SSS and the SIRBS scales only for athletes who had sustained severe injuries. Multiple-regression analyses revealed that the SSS scales were significant predictors of each of the SIRBS scales. Conclusions: Results suggest that when severely injured athletes perceive that their ATCs provide strong social support, they are more likely to believe in their rehabilitation programs. Key Words: psychology of injury, psychology of rehabilitatio

Learned Helplessness: A Case Study of a Middle School Student

This is the publisher's version, also found at http://ehis.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail?vid=4&sid=18c07398-402e-4572-aa35-4d1deeeff1be%40sessionmgr15&hid=2&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=s3h&AN=2075200

Goals and their associations with beliefs about success in and perceptions of the purpose of physical education

This is the publisher's version, also found at http://ehis.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail?vid=3&sid=f2fadc72-30ec-4818-a6be-17c24af97fd1%40sessionmgr13&hid=2&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=s3h&AN=SPH367545This study examined the relationship of students' goal orientation to their beliefs about what leads to success in physical education and perceptions of the purposes of physical education. High school students {N = 144,78 females and 66 males) completed a modified version of the Task and Ego Orientation in Sport Questionnaire and measures of beliefs and perceived purposes specific to physical education class. Results indicated that students high in task orientation were significantly more likely to believe that success is achieved through intrinsic interest/effort/cooperation than were those low in task orientation. High ego-oriented students believed that success is achieved when students possess high ability more so than low ego-oriented students. The high task/low ego students were most likely to reject the notion that success in physical education occurs when students know how to use deceptive tactics and were less likely to perceive that an important function of physical education is to provide an easy class

Psychometric Support for the Ownership in Exercise and Empowerment in Exercise Scales

This study’s purpose was to examine the psychometric properties of two new scales developed to quantitatively measure participants’ ownership in exercise classes and empowerment with respect to exercise. These two outcome measures will compliment Achievement Goal Perspective Theory (AGPT) grounded research to better understand participants’ exercise experiences. College exercise class participants (N = 414; Mage = 21.25 years; 67% female) completed the survey during the last two weeks of a semester. Measurement invariance was assessed by a two-group (i.e., male and female) confirmatory factor analysis and used Mplus’ cluster option to account for the data’s nested nature. Strong invariance was achieved, which provided psychometric evidence for the ownership and empowerment in exercise measures. Additional validity support was provided by the ownership and empowerment latent relationships aligning with the researchers a priori hypotheses. These results provide preliminary validity evidence for the Ownership in Exercise and Empowerment in Exercise Scales

National Franchise Members’ Perceptions of the Exercise Psychosocial Environment, Ownership, & Satisfaction

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between: a) the motivational climate developed by a national exercise franchise and b) members’ sense of ownership in and enjoyment of exercise. Members of a national exercise franchise (N=5,329) were surveyed to learn their views on the motivational climate (autonomy supportive, caring, task- and ego-involving), exercise class ownership, and class enjoyment. Mean scale scores revealed this national exercise franchise succeeded in developing a high caring (M = 4.60 ± .68), task-involving (M = 4.04 ± .62), and autonomy supportive (M = 5.98 ± 1.00) climate, and low ego-involving (M = 1.79 ± .69) climate. The members also reported high perceptions of ownership (M = 4.21 ± .78) within and enjoyment (M = 6.50 ± .91) of the exercise program. Structural equation modeling (SEM), theory-driven regression analyses supported the hypothesis that the psychosocial environment experienced by members predicted their reported ownership and enjoyment. Specifically, members’ ownership was significantly positively predicted by their perceptions of the environment as task-involving and autonomy supportive, and negatively predicted by their perceptions of the environment as ego-involving. Members’ enjoyment was significantly positively predicted by their perceptions of the environment as caring, task-involving, and autonomy supportive, while negatively predicted by their ego-involving climate perceptions. A large, national fitness organization is capable of promoting their franchisees’ consistent fostering of a highly caring, autonomy supportive, task-involving, and low ego-involving environment. Developing this climate was associated with members reporting a greater sense of ownership and enjoyment of their exercise experience

Corporate Fitness Members' Perceptions of the Environment and Their Intrinsic Motivation

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship of employees' perceptions of the motivational climate in their corporate fitness center to their intrinsic motivation toward exercise, and their perceptions of their employer's concern for their health behaviors. Members of corporate fitness centers (N = 143) in the Midsouthern region of the US were invited to complete a survey with the following measures: 1) the Perceived Motivational Climate in Exercise Questionnaire (i.e., task- and ego-involving scales), 2) Intrinsic Motivation Inventory (four subscales), and 3) Valued by Employer Scale. Regression analysis revealed that perceptions of a task-involving climate were positively related to employees' interest/enjoyment, perceived competence, effort/importance with regard to exercise, and their sense of feeling valued by their employer. The PMCEQ can be a valuable tool in the exercise psychology literature to measure employees' perceptions of their fitness center environment

The perceived motivational climate in sport questionnaire: Construct and predictive validity

This is the publisher's version, also found at http://ehis.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail?sid=f909d02f-c54f-4073-bc48-6b3271014d3a%40sessionmgr14&vid=1&hid=2&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=s3h&AN=SPH322458The purpose of this study was to further examine the construct and predictive validity of the Perceived Motivational Climate in Sport Questionnaire or PMCSQ. Young athletes (N = 169, M age = 14.2 plus minus 1.94 years) on teams competing in an amateur international competition completed questionnaires measuring perceived motivational climate, the degree of worry experienced while participating, and team satisfaction. Results of a confirmatory factor analysis indicated an acceptable fit of the data with the hypothetical measurement model. In terms of the predictive utility of the PMCSQ, perceptions of a mastery climate were positively related to satisfaction with being a member on the team and negatively associated with performance worry. In contrast, perceptions of a performance climate were positively associated with concerns about failing and the adequacy of one's performance and negatively correlated with team satisfaction. Future directions in terms of instrument development and research on motivational climate in the sport setting are presented

A Motivational Climate Intervention and Exercise-Related Outcomes: A Longitudinal Perspective

While researchers have suggested that the social context in exercise settings is linked to individuals’ physical activity motivation and potential exercise-related outcomes, few research designs have examined the nuance of those relationships. Moreover, interventions targeting the social context of exercise settings are sparse, so the potential impact of staff training on members’ motivation to exercise are not well known. Drawing from two major motivation theories, achievement goal perspective theory and self-determination theory, this study considered an intervention with fitness center staff from the members’ perspectives. Members completed a survey before and after an intervention designed to help staff create a high caring, task-involving, and low ego-involving motivational climate. Using a half-longitudinal structural equation model, participants’ perceptions of the motivational climate, basic psychological needs, exercise motivation, and exercise experiences (including commitment to exercise, life satisfaction, body image) were modeled pre-post intervention. The model revealed significant latent mean differences for post-intervention constructs, with participants experiencing a more positive motivational climate, higher competence and relatedness, intrinsic motivation, commitment, life satisfaction, and body image. The final mediation model demonstrated tenable fit, with perceptions of climate having significant, direct and indirect effects on commitment, life satisfaction, and body image. Our study supports that the motivational climate contributes to an optimal social context for exercise where basic psychological needs are nurtured, intrinsic motivation is fostered, and individuals experience well-being benefits, including increased life satisfaction. Further, short and targeted training meetings with fitness center staff can result in members’ perceiving a significant change in the motivational climate