The purpose of the study was to analyze athletes' motivation for sport participation as it related to their locus of control. Research was conducted at two Division I universities in the southeastern United States. Participants were given the Sport Locus of Control and Perceived Stress among College Athletes surveys. There were 126 participants with a mean age of 19.69 ± 1.32 years. A Pearson correlation (r) was performed to determine a significant relationship between perceived stress and locus of control. Results indicated a significant negative relationship between the two variables (r = -0.393 and p = 0.001) (a moderate relationship). As perceived stress scores increased, locus of control scores decreased. Correlations related to perceived stress were gender (r = 0.323, p = 0.000), and grade point average (GPA) (r = -0.213, p = 0.01). The only other independent variable that was significantly related to locus of control was being on an academic scholarship (r = -0.203, p = 0.025). Athletes who have an external locus of control feel that they have little control over their circumstances. Findings of this study give coaches another factor to consider in retaining and getting the most from their athletes.
Keywords: athletes; locus of control; stress.