Coach feedback and adolescent female athletes perceived competence
Date
1996
Authors
Allen, Justine B.
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Abstract
The purpose of this study was to determine adolescent female athletes' perceived and preferred frequency of types of coach feedback in response to desirable and undesirable performances. A second purpose was to examine the relationship between coach feedback and perceived competence, ability and satisfaction. A questionnaire, based on the Coaching Behaviour Assessment Scale (Smith, Smoll & Curtis, 1979), was employed to assess adolescent female field hockey player's (N = 143) perceptions and preferences for particular coach feedback. Harter' s (1989) Perceived Physical Competence Subscale was modified to assess perceived field hockey competence. Satisfaction with the coach and satisfaction with overall team involvement as well as coaches' ranking of each of their athletes' ability were measured. The participants perceived their coaches' feedback following desirable and undesirable performances to be positive and encouraging. Further, they perceived that the feedback frequently contained skill-related information about aspects of good performances and instructions on how their performance might be improved. Participants' preferences were similar. Multivariate analyses revealed a significant relationship between perceived coach feedback variables and perceived competence and satisfaction (Wilks's lambda=.67, F(lS,321)=3.33, p<.01). A significant relationship was also found between preferred coach feedback and satisfaction with the coach and overall team involvement (Wilks's lambda= .60, F(30,329)=2.12, p<.001). No relationship was found between perceived or preferred coach feedback variables and ability. Post-hoc analyses revealed differences in perceived and preferred feedback for athletes categorised as 'high' and 'low' in perceived competence. Specifically, frequent information only, information combined with praise and non-verbal praise in response to a good performance and lower corrective information in response to a mistake were predictive of higher perceived competence. The negative relationship between corrective information and perceived competence was a different finding to previous research and it was suggested that this type of feedback highlighted the fact that a mistake had been made and indicated failure and a lack of ability. The results are discussed in light of Harter's (1978) competence motivation theory, current leadership in sport theories and related research in participation motivation in youth sport. Practical implications for coaches of adolescent female athletes are discussed.