Task-Involving Motivational Climate and Enjoyment in Youth Male Football Athletes: The Mediation Role of Self-Determined Motivation

Nuno Amaro; Diogo Monteiro; Filipe Rodrigues; Rui Matos; Miguel Jacinto; Beatriz Cavaco; Sandro Jorge; Raúl Antunes

doi:10.3390/ijerph20043044

Task-Involving Motivational Climate and Enjoyment in Youth Male Football Athletes: The Mediation Role of Self-Determined Motivation

Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2023 Feb 9;20(4):3044. doi: 10.3390/ijerph20043044.

Authors

Nuno Amaro^{1

2}, Diogo Monteiro^{1

2

3}, Filipe Rodrigues^{1

2}, Rui Matos^{1

2}, Miguel Jacinto^{1

2}, Beatriz Cavaco¹, Sandro Jorge¹, Raúl Antunes^{1

2

4}

Affiliations

¹ ESECS-Polytechnic of Leiria, 2411-901 Leiria, Portugal.
² Life Quality Research Centre (CIEQV), 2400-901 Leiria, Portugal.
³ Research Center in Sport, Health, and Human Development (CIDESD), 5000-558 Vila Real, Portugal.
⁴ Center for Innovative Care and Health Technology (ciTechCare), 2415-396 Leiria, Portugal.

Abstract

Background: This study aimed at examining the mediation role of self-determined motivation (identified and integrated regulation and intrinsic motivation) in the association between task-involving climate and enjoyment in youth male football athletes.

Methods: A total of 109 youth males (M = 14.38; SD = 1.55) were recruited to participate in this study. The survey included sociodemographic data and validated instruments such as the Motivational Climate Sport Youth Scale, the Behavioral Regulation Sport Questionnaire, and the Sports Enjoyment Scale.

Results: The results showed that the task-involving climate was a positive and significant predictor of integrated regulation and intrinsic motivation. In addition, integrated regulation and intrinsic motivation were positive and significant predictors of enjoyment. The results of the mediation analysis revealed a partial mediation role of self-determined motivation in the relationship between task-involving climate and enjoyment. Significant indirect effects only occurred through intrinsic motivation.

Conclusions: Providing higher levels of enjoyment in the sport context could be an excellent option for leisure activities for children and youth, as long as self-determined motivation and task-involving climates provided by the coaches are present.

Keywords: achievement goal theory; coaches; football; self-determination theory.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adolescent
Athletes
Child
Football*
Humans
Male
Motivation
Pleasure
Soccer*
Surveys and Questionnaires

Grants and funding

D.M. were supported by national funds through the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology, I.P., under the project UID/04045/2020; N.A., F.R., R.A., M.J., B.C., S.J., and R.M. were supported by the national funds through the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology, I.P., under the project UID/DTP/04748/2020.