Player ability, coach feedback, and female adolescent athletes' perceived competence and satisfaction

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between athlete ability and coach feedback with perceived competence and satisfaction among female adolescent athletes. Athletes (N = 123) reported their perceptions of coaches’ use of feedback, their own field hockey competence, and satisfaction with the coach and team involvement. In addition, coaches’ ratings of athletes’ ability were obtained. Analyses revealed that both ability and coach feedback were significantly related to perceived competence and satisfaction. Specifically, a hierarchical regression analysis revealed that higher ability, more frequent praise and information, and less frequent encouragement and corrective information were related to higher perceived competence. Further, a canonical correlation analysis revealed that higher ability, frequent praise and information after a good performance, and frequent encouragement and corrective information after an error were associated with greater satisfaction with the coach and team involvement. The results are discussed in relation to Harter’s (1978) competence motivation theory. Key words: perceived competence, coach behavior, female athlete, adolescents.