Developing a Mastery Motivational Climate in Sports Coaching

Abstract

This thesis comprises of a collection of three research studies in the area of motivational climate in sports coaching. In the first study, a perceptual measure of TARGET was developed to measure the coaching behaviours by coaches that might influence athletes' motivational climate. The newly developed perceptual measure of TARGET was then used in the third study. The second study adopted a qualitative research method to explore the relevance and use of each of the TARGET structures by experienced performance coaches through a series of focus group interviews. Results revealed, even though most of the coaches agreed on the value of the mastery focused structures of TARGET, there were elements of performance or ego involvement that they believed to be essential in the performance sports coaching. Based on the findings from the second study, the final study instigated a mastery intervention programme for performance sports coaches in order to modify their behaviours by manipulating the TARGET structures. The perceptual measure of TARGET was used in order to measure coaches' behaviours that influence perceptions of the motivational climate during the intervention programme. Results indicated that coaches had succeeded in creating a mastery climate in their coaching session through the intervention programme, and influenced the athletes' perceptions of mastery motivational climate and goal orientations. In conclusion, this study had successfully addressed coaches' practical issues during the intervention programme to manipulate the TARGET structures, and the use of a mixed methods approach had given an impact to this research in terms of the data obtained from the coaches.