The Dualistic Model of Passion Mediates between Coach-Athlete Relationship and Motivation among Collegiate Athletes

Vol.19,No.1(2025)

Abstract

Despite extensive research in coach-athlete relationship and motivation in sports, there is a notable gap in the literature on the interaction of passion in the relationship between these two key components in sports context. This study aimed to examine the mediating role of passion in sports between coach and athletes’ relationship and motivation among collegiate athletes. A sample of 408 student athletes comprised of 60.5 % male (n=246) and 39.5% female (n= 161) completed a packet of questionnaires on coach-athlete relationship (commitment, closeness, and complementarity), passion (harmonious and obsessive), and athletes' sports motivation (intrinsic and extrinsic). The IBM SPSS 20.0 PROCESS analysis revealed that harmonious and obsessive passion partially mediated the coach-athlete relationship dimensions (commitment, closeness, & complementarity) and both extrinsic and intrinsic motivation. Results imply that student-athletes who cultivate a positive relationship with their coaches exhibit a greater level of passion in sports, which in turn enhances their athletic motivation. The findings provide empirical evidence on the significance of sports passion have foster a strong connection between athletes and coaches, as well as its impact on athletes' motivation in sports setting. 


Keywords:
coaches; athletes; motivation; passion; sports
References

Adie, J. W., & Jowett, S. (2010). Meta-Perceptions of the Coach-Athlete Relationship, Achievement Goals, and Intrinsic Motivation Among Sport Participants. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 40(11), 2750–2773. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1559-1816.2010.00679.x

Alvarez, M. S., Balaguer, I., Castillo, I., & Duda, J. L. (2012). The Coach-Created Motivational Climate, Young Athletes’ Well-Being, and Intentions to Continue Participation. Journal of Clinical Sport Psychology, 6(2), 166–179. https://doi.org/10.1123/jcsp.6.2.166

Amemiya, R., & Sakairi, Y. (2019). The effects of passion and mindfulness on the intrinsic motivation of Japanese athletes. Personality and Individual Differences, 142, 132–138. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2019.01.006

Aşçi, F. H., Kelecek, S., & Altintaş, A. (2015). The Role of Personality Characteristics of Athletes in Coach–Athlete Relationships. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 121(2), 399–411. https://doi.org/10.2466/30.pms.121c17x9

Blanchard, C. M., Amiot, C. E., Perreault, S., Vallerand, R. J., & Provencher, P. (2009). Cohesiveness, coach’s interpersonal style and psychological needs: Their effects on self-determination and athletes’ subjective well-being. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 10(5), 545–551. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychsport.2009.02.005

Cho, S.-L., & Baek, W.-Y. (2020). Coach–autonomy support and youth sport team efficacy mediated by coach–athlete relationship. Social Behavior and Personality: An International Journal, 48(2), 1–9. https://doi.org/10.2224/sbp.8362

Curran, T., Hill, A. P., Appleton, P. R., Vallerand, R. J., & Standage, M. (2015). The psychology of passion: A meta-analytical review of a decade of research on intrapersonal outcomes. Motivation and Emotion, 39(5), 631–655. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11031-015-9503-0

Davis, L., Appleby, R., Davis, P., Wetherell, M., & Gustafsson, H. (2018). The role of coach-athlete relationship quality in team sport athletes' psychophysiological exhaustion: implications for physical and cognitive performance. Journal of Sports Sciences, 36(17), 1985–1992. https://doi.org/10.1080/02640414.2018.1429176

de la Vega, R., Parastatidou, I. S., Ruíz-Barquín, R., & Szabo, A. (2016). Exercise Addiction in Athletes and Leisure Exercisers: The Moderating Role of Passion. Journal of Behavioral Addictions, 5(2), 325–331. https://doi.org/10.1556/2006.5.2016.043

Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (2000). The “what” and “why” of goal pursuits: Human needs and the self-determination of behavior. Psychological Inquiry, 11(4), 227–268. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15327965pli1104_01

Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (2012). Self-Determination Theory. Handbook of Theories of Social Psychology: Volume 1, 1(1), 416–437. https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2011-21800-020

DeFreese, J. D., & Smith, A. L. (2014). Athlete Social Support, Negative Social Interactions, and Psychological Health across a Competitive Sport Season. Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 36(6), 619–630. https://doi.org/10.1123/jsep.2014-0040

Demirci, E., & Çepikkurt, F. (2018). Examination of the Relationship between Passion, Perfectionism and Burnout in Athletes. Universal Journal of Educational Research, 6(6), 1252–1259. https://doi.org/10.13189/ujer.2018.060616

Felton, L., & Jowett, S. (2013). Attachment and well-being: The mediating effects of psychological needs satisfaction within the coach–athlete and parent–athlete relational contexts. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 14(1), 57–65. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychsport.2012.07.006

Fonteyn, M., Haerens, L., Vansteenkiste, M., & Loeys, T. (2024). Is passion contagious in coach-athlete dyads? A dyadic exploration of the association between passion, affective and need-based experiences in individual sports. Frontiers in Psychology, 15, 1369011. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1369011

Gillet, N., Vallerand, R. J., Amoura, S., & Baldes, B. (2010). Influence of coaches’ autonomy support on athletes’ motivation and sport performance: A test of the hierarchical model of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 11(2), 155–161. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychsport.2009.10.004

Gorgulu, R. (2019). Transformational Leadership Inspired Extra Effort: The Mediating Role of Individual Consideration of the Coach-Athlete Relationship in College Basketball Players. Universal Journal of Educational Research, 7(1), 157–163. https://doi.org/10.13189/ujer.2019.070120

Graña, M., De Francisco, C., & Arce, C. (2021). The Relationship between Motivation and Burnout in Athletes and the Mediating Role of Engagement. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(9), 4884. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18094884

Gustafsson, H., Hassmén, P., & Hassmén, N. (2011). Are athletes burning out with passion? European Journal of Sport Science, 11(6), 387–395. https://doi.org/10.1080/17461391.2010.536573

Hayes, A. F., & Preacher, K. J. (2013). Statistical mediation analysis with a multicategorical independent variable. British Journal of Mathematical and Statistical Psychology, 67(3), 451–470. https://doi.org/10.1111/bmsp.12028

Jowett, S. (2017). Coaching effectiveness: the coach–athlete relationship at its heart. Current Opinion in Psychology, 16(1), 154–158. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.copsyc.2017.05.006

Jowett, S., & Ntoumanis, N. (2004). The Coach-Athlete Relationship Questionnaire (CART-Q): development and initial validation. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports, 14(4), 245–257. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0838.2003.00338.x

Kent, S., Kingston, K., & Paradis, K. F. (2018). The Relationship Between Passion, Basic Psychological Needs Satisfaction and Athlete Burnout: Examining Direct and Indirect Effects. Journal of Clinical Sport Psychology, 12(1), 75–96. https://doi.org/10.1123/jcsp.2017-0030

Lafrenière, M.-A. K., Jowett, S., Vallerand, R. J., & Carbonneau, N. (2011). Passion for coaching and the quality of the coach–athlete relationship: The mediating role of coaching behaviors. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 12(2), 144–152. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychsport.2010.08.002

Lavoie, C.-É., Vallerand, R. J., & Verner-Filion, J. (2021). Passion and emotions: The mediating role of cognitive appraisals. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 54, 101907. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychsport.2021.101907

Legault, L. (2020). Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivation. Encyclopedia of Personality and Individual Differences, 2416–2419. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-24612-3_1139

Longakit, J., Toring-Aque, L., Aque Jr., F., Sayson, M., & Lobo, J. (2024). The role of coach-athlete relationship on motivation and sports engagement . Physical Education of Students, 28(5), 268–278. https://doi.org/10.15561/20755279.2024.0503

Lopes, M., & Vallerand, R. J. (2020). The role of passion, need satisfaction, and conflict in athletes’ perceptions of burnout. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 48, 101674. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychsport.2020.101674

López de Subijana, C., Martin, L. J., McGuire, C. S., & Côté, J. (2022). Moderators of the coach leadership and athlete motivation relationship. European Journal of Sport Science, 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1080/17461391.2022.2041101

López de Subijana, C., Martin, L. J., Ramos, J., & Côté, J. (2021). How coach leadership is related to the coach-athlete relationship in elite sport. International Journal of Sports Science & Coaching, 16(6), 174795412110215. https://doi.org/10.1177/17479541211021523

Mageau, G. A., & Vallerand, R. J. (2003). The coach–athlete relationship: a motivational model. Journal of Sports Sciences, 21(11), 883–904. https://doi.org/10.1080/0264041031000140374

Occhino, J. L., Mallett, C. J., Rynne, S. B., & Carlisle, K. N. (2014). Autonomy-Supportive Pedagogical Approach to Sports Coaching: Research, Challenges and Opportunities. International Journal of Sports Science & Coaching, 9(2), 401–415. https://doi.org/10.1260/1747-9541.9.2.401

Pelletier, L. G., Rocchi, M. A., Vallerand, R. J., Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (2013). Validation of the revised sport motivation scale (SMS-II). Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 14(3), 329–341. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychsport.2012.12.002

Peng, J., Zhang, J., Zhao, L., Fang, P., & Shao, Y. (2020). Coach–Athlete Attachment and the Subjective Well-Being of Athletes: A Multiple-Mediation Model Analysis. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(13), 4675. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17134675

Pereira, P., Daniele de Campos, Paula, A., Pestillo, L., & Evandro Morais Peixoto. (2023). Effects of Passion for Sports and Motivational Climate on Athlete-Athlete Relationships: The Mediating Role of Athlete-Coaches Relationships. Trends in Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1007/s43076-023-00353-0

Pope, J. P., & Wilson, P. M. (2014). Testing a sequence of relationships from interpersonal coaching styles to rugby performance, guided by the coach–athlete motivation model. International Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 13(3), 258–272. https://doi.org/10.1080/1612197x.2014.956325

Roux, V., Martinent, G., & Trouilloud, D. (2022). Temporal dynamics of the quality of the coach-athlete relationship over one season among adolescent handball players: a latent class analysis approach. International Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 21(6), 1–18. https://doi.org/10.1080/1612197x.2022.2109185

Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2000). Intrinsic and extrinsic motivations: Classic definitions and new directions. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 25(1), 54–67. https://doi.org/10.1006/ceps.1999.1020

Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2017). Self-Determination Theory: Basic Psychological Needs in Motivation, Development, and Wellness. Guilford Press. https://doi.org/10.1521/978.14625/28806

Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2020). Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivation from a self-determination Theory perspective: Definitions, theory, practices, and Future Directions. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 61(1), 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cedpsych.2020.101860

Simons, E. E., & Bird, M. D. (2022). Coach-athlete relationship, social support, and sport-related psychological well-being in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I student-athletes. Journal for the Study of Sports and Athletes in Education, 1–20. https://doi.org/10.1080/19357397.2022.2060703

Smith, R. E., & Smoll, F. L. (2017). Coaching Behavior and Effectiveness in Sport and Exercise Psychology. Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1093/acrefore/9780190236557.013.188

Standage, M., & Ryan, R. M. (2020). Self‐Determination Theory in Sport and Exercise. In Handbook of Sport Psychology (pp. 37–56). https://doi.org/10.1002/9781119568124.ch3

Stenling, A., & Tafvelin, S. (2014). Transformational Leadership and Well-Being in Sports: The Mediating Role of Need Satisfaction. Journal of Applied Sport Psychology, 26(2), 182–196. https://doi.org/10.1080/10413200.2013.819392

Subijana, C. L. de, Martin, L. J., Tejón, O., & Côté, J. (2021). Adolescent Athletes’ Perceptions of Both Their Coachs’ Leadership and Their Personal Motivation. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 128(2). https://doi.org/10.1177/0031512520985760

Vallerand, R. J. (2008). On the psychology of passion: In search of what makes people's lives most worth living. Canadian Psychology / Psychologie canadienne, 49(1), 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1037/0708-5591.49.1.1

Vallerand, R. J. (2010). On Passion for Life Activities. Advances in Experimental Social Psychology, 42, 97–193. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0065-2601(10)42003-1

Vallerand, R. J. (2012). From motivation to passion: In search of the motivational processes involved in a meaningful life. Canadian Psychology/Psychologie Canadienne, 53(1), 42–52. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0026377

Vallerand, R. J., & Verner‐Filion, J. (2019). Theory and Research in Passion for Sport and Exercise. Handbook of Sport Psychology, 1(4), 206–229. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781119568124.ch11

Vallerand, R. J., Mageau, G. A., Elliot, A. J., Dumais, A., Demers, M.-A., & Rousseau, F. (2008). Passion and performance attainment in sport. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 9(3), 373–392. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychsport.2007.05.003

Vallerand, R. J., Rousseau, F. L., Grouzet, F. M. E., Dumais, A., Grenier, S., & Blanchard, C. M. (2006). Passion in Sport: A Look at Determinants and Affective Experiences. Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 28(4), 454–478. https://doi.org/10.1123/jsep.28.4.454

Verner-Filion, J., Vallerand, R. J., Amiot, C. E., & Mocanu, I. (2017). The two roads from passion to sport performance and psychological well-being: The mediating role of need satisfaction, deliberate practice, and achievement goals. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 30, 19–29. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychsport.2017.01.009

Vieira, J. L. L., Ferreira, L., Cheuczuk, F., Flores, P. P., Vissoci, J. R. N., Rocha, F. F. da, Nascimento Junior, J. R. A. do, & Vieira, L. F. (2015). Impact of coach-athlete relationship on the collective efficacy of young volleyball players. Revista Brasileira de Cineantropometria E Desempenho Humano, 17(6), 650. https://doi.org/10.5007/1980-0037.2015v17n6p650

Yang, S. X., & Jowett, S. (2012). Psychometric properties of the Coach–Athlete Relationship Questionnaire (CART-Q) in seven countries. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 13(1), 36–43. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychsport.2011.07.010

Yang, S. X., & Jowett, S. (2013). The Psychometric Properties of the Short and Long Versions of the Coach–Athlete Relationship Questionnaire. Measurement in Physical Education and Exercise Science, 17(4), 281–294. https://doi.org/10.1080/1091367x.2013.831763

Yukhymenko-Lescroart, M. A. (2021). The role of passion for sport in college student-athletes’ motivation and effort in academics and athletics. International Journal of Educational Research Open, 2-2, 100055. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijedro.2021.100055

Yukhymenko-Lescroart, M. A., & Sharma, G. (2022). The role of coaching identity and life purpose orientations in holistic athlete development. 17(3), 477–489. https://doi.org/10.1177/17479541211073546

Metrics

0

Crossref logo

0


44

Views

43

PDF views