La motivazione intrinseca allo sport in giovani atlete preadolescenti: Uno studio esplorativo sui correlati Psicologici e Socio-Relazionali

The purpose of this study was to examine the psychological and socio-relational correlates of early adolescent girl athletes’ intrinsic motivation in sport. Specifically, this study simultaneously investigated the relationships between intrinsic motivation, sport enjoyment, perceived social competence, and perception of coaches’ behaviors towards the athletes. The participants – 127 early adolescent girls from several teams of the Italian Volleyball Society who are starting to practice competitive sport – completed a self-report questionnaire. Results showed that girl athletes’ intrinsic motivation is associated with: a) sport enjoyment and b) perceived coaching behavior. Specifically, girl athletes with a high level of intrinsic motivation perceived their coaches to exhibit a leadership style that emphasizes training and instruction, but also social support in the coaches’ relationships with athletes. Findings support the evidence of an effective and useful contribution of both psychological and socio-relational factors at the level of intrinsic motivation.