Autonomy-Supportive Coaching in Youth Sport: SDT Study Review

Introduction and Research Overview

Conroy, D. E., and Coatsworth, J. D. (2007). Assessing autonomy-supportive coaching strategies in youth sport. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 8(5), 671–684.

Grounded in the application of self-determination theory to sports, this non-experimental study examines a component of motivational climate commonly referred to as autonomy support. The study was designed to examine whether youth engaged in organized sports could differentiate between the strategies used by their coaches to support the young athletes' autonomy.

This research focuses on the motivational climate in which sports take place—a construct that is also described as autonomy support. The authors assert that the functional importance of autonomy-supportive climates is that "individuals feel that their behavior originates from and expresses their true selves as opposed to being a response to external pressures or demands." The literature is replete with studies that argue for a strong association between autonomy support and high levels of desirable behaviors related to creativity, motivation, flexibility, persistence, self-esteem and competence, trust, and overall health.

Study Design and Participants

Although self-determination theory has been deeply researched in a number of disciplines, it has not been thoroughly considered within the context of experimental research designed to inform training programs for coaches. This article is a step toward meeting the need for empirical research in the provision of training for coaches of youth sports, and it provides insight that may inform the capacity of coaches to directly and indirectly affect youth development and motivation in sports.

The participants in the study consisted of 99 girls and 66 boys (N = 165) between the ages of seven and 18 years. Data were collected at three points during the six weeks the participants were engaged in a recreational summer swimming league. Measures were taken at the end of weeks 1 and 5 for perceived coaching behavior, and at weeks 1 and 6 for psychological need satisfaction.

The research instrumentation included the psychometric properties of the Autonomy-Supportive Coaching Questionnaire (ASCQ), the Perceptions of Coaches' Interpersonal Behavior Questionnaire (PCIBQ), and the Basic Need Satisfaction in Relationship Scale (BNSRS), as each pertained to the perceptions of young athletes experiencing two forms of autonomy-supportive coaching. The responses obtained for the ASCQ were reduced to two correlated factors classified as interest in athlete's input and praise for autonomous behavior. Different relations were exhibited across these correlated factors and the perceived coaching behavior ratings of the PCIBQ.

Strengths and Weaknesses of the Study

Three basic psychological needs—as impacted by coaching behavior—were the focus of the BNSRS in this study: autonomy, competence, and relatedness in life. Satisfaction in these three areas showed positive contrast for the two forms of autonomy-supportive coaching the participants experienced. It was determined that the perceptions of young athletes about autonomy-supportive coaching could be validly assessed through the use of the ASCQ.

An important strength of the article is the scope of literature cited and discussed. The authors' affiliations—which include the Department of Human Development and Family Studies and the Department of Kinesiology, as well as the funding source, the National Institute for Child Health and Human Development—indicate that the research interests driving this study extend well beyond the playing field, and beyond, in the authors' words, "the motivational climate and consequences of organized sports experiences for youth." A central interest of this research appears to have been an exploration of how to promote the internalization of behaviors and attitudes that contribute to the wellbeing of young athletes.

The study was designed to explore the perceptions of young athletes with regard to the autonomy-supportive behaviors and interactions initiated by their coaches. The intended audience is primarily individuals responsible for coach training programs. Yet the data were collected from the athletes, and apparently no data were collected from coaches regarding their own perceptions or observations about their use of coaching strategies. Particularly notable is the absence of coach self-assessment concerning any differentiated treatment or interactions based on the gender or ages of the young athletes.

Analysis of the relation between coaching styles and gender was not identified as an important variable in the initial approach to the study. The age range of the participants is wide, and this calls into question whether different strategies might have different impacts on youth athletes depending on their age as well as their gender. Moreover, this study—and many others related to this research topic—was conducted during sports practice and not during actual competitions. The authors suggest that a different set of dynamics may prevail when competitiveness is emphasized.