Search Results

Extending upon Iwasaki and Fry’s study published in 2016, the connections between mindfulness, goal orientations, and motivational climate perceptions were examined among exercisers. Participants (N = 324, 62% women) were surveyed six weeks into their group exercise classes on their perceptions of the class climate (caring, task-involving, and ego-involving), goal orientations (task and ego), and general mindfulness. Separate linear regressions for men and women were run to determine if exercisers’ perceptions of the motivational climate and their goal orientations predicted general mindfulness. Similar to previous research, ego goal orientation did not significantly predict mindfulness. In contrast to previous research, the regression model for women exercisers was not significant and predicted only 2.3% of general mindfulness variance. However, 9.6% of general mindfulness variance was predicted for men by the significant regression model. Men’s perceptions of the caring climate and their task goal orientation were similarly important positive predictors of mindfulness. By fostering a caring climate, exercise instructors have the potential to increase their participants’ general mindfulness, an important avenue for positively affecting participants’ quality of life.

The purpose of this study was to systematically review the variables associated with the coach–athlete relationship (CAR) from the coaches’ perspective. Three databases were searched; 57 studies published between January 2000 and May 2021 met the inclusion criteria. Correlates (n = 35) were grouped into three categories: coach variables, athlete variables, and coaching behaviors. Variables positively associated with the coaches’ perspective of the CAR included coaching satisfaction, the teaching of life skills, and engaging in need-supportive behaviors. Negative correlates included coaching burnout, athletes’ avoidant attachment style, and coaches’ controlling behaviors. Aside from coach satisfaction, many of the relationships mentioned came from only one or two studies; therefore, replication studies are needed examining CAR from the coaches’ perspective. In conclusion, the better coaches report CAR to be, the more they also report fostering a caring and autonomy-supportive environment, teaching life skills, and being satisfied with their coaching experience.

Youth’s likelihood of participating in sport increases when they maintain a focus on enjoyment, learning, and effort (i.e., task goal orientation) rather than how they compare to others and norms (i.e., ego goal orientation). Achievement goal theory research consistently illustrates the significant influence of leader-created motivational climates on their participants’ goal orientation adoption. However, the influence of caring climate perceptions by highly competitive adolescent athletes on their goal orientation adoption has yet to be examined. Thus, this study assessed how competitive, adolescent soccer players’ perceptions of the climate as caring, task-, and ego-involving predicted their adoption of task and ego goal orientations. Players (N = 152, 62% female, 12–14 years of age) in the Olympic Development Program completed a survey that included measures of the caring climate, task-involving and ego-involving motivational climates, and task and ego goal orientations in soccer. Path analyses revealed males’ task goal orientation was significantly predicted by caring and task-involving climate perceptions. Females’ task goal orientation was significantly predicted by their task-involving climate perceptions. Ego goal orientation was significantly predicted by all athletes’ ego-involving climate perceptions. This is the first study to support the importance of fostering a high caring, as well as high task-involving, and low ego-involving climate when working with highly competitive adolescent athletes to keep their task goal orientation high. Research replicating this study is warranted to provide further support for these relationships longitudinally and across ages and sexes.