German Journal of Exercise and Sport Research最新文献

In light of the continuing debate about coach-perpetrated violence and the maltreatment of athletes in the elite sports context, empowering and ethical approaches to coaching need to be investigated and proposed as evidence-based effective alternatives. This study aims to investigate the associations between motivational coaching climates and athletes' experiences of psychological violence, as well as their effects on well-being. Using an anonymous cross-sectional online survey, artistic gymnasts' perceptions of empowering and disempowering coach-created motivational climates, experiences of psychological violence in sport, well-being, and depressive symptoms were recorded quantitatively. Results indicate that a more disempowering climate predicts psychological violence, while an empowering climate was not a significant predictor. Regarding mental health outcomes, an effect of psychological violence on depressive symptoms and well-being was found, but no effect was found for the disempowering climate. Explorative analysis suggested that psychological violence mediates the relationship between disempowering coaching and mental health outcomes. Based on these findings, coach education should focus on prevention of psychological violence and minimization of disempowering climates. Further research should investigate the relations and effects of psychological violence and coaching climates more thoroughly, including the role of an empowering climate as a potential beneficiary alternative coaching method.

To counteract low physical activity levels in children and adolescents, it is crucial to understand the relevant psychological processes that can promote physical activity in this age group. The Weiss-Harter model focuses on self-esteem as a central construct for physical activity promotion in youth, which mediates the effects of perceived competence and perceived social support on enjoyment and physical activity. However, in two cross-sectional studies, an adapted model was found to have a better model fit in which perceived social support has additional direct effects on physical activity and enjoyment. The purpose of the present study was to compare the original Weiss-Harter model and the adapted model in a prospective study design. Data were based on two assessment waves of the German Motorik-Modul-Study involving 1107 participants (603 female) with a mean age of 13.98 years (SD = 2.03). Participants filled out questionnaires on perceived competence, perceived social support, self-esteem, enjoyment, and moderate-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) during the first assessment. MVPA was again assessed about five years later allowing to test whether the models could predict (1) future MVPA and (2) the difference of MVPA from the first to the second assessment. For both research questions, the original Weiss-Harter model (Model 1a: χ ² = 812.44; df = 95; p < 0.01; CFI = 0.905; RMSEA = 0.083; Model 2a: χ2 = 755.29; df = 95; p < 0.01; CFI = 0.910; RMSEA = 0.079) had a worse fit than the adapted model (Model 1b: χ ² = 512.19; df = 93; p < 0.01; CFI = 0.943; RMSEA = 0.065; Model 2b: χ ² = 513.25; df = 93; p < 0.01; CFI = 0.943; RMSEA = 0.064). The results of this study highlight the role of perceived social support for youth MVPA.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has led to an increase of digitally supported home-based sport and exercise activities. This paper asks how these digital sport and exercise (DSE) offers are experienced by consumers and compares the experiential value of DSE activities with similar on-site, offline sport and exercise (OSE) activities. The paper is based on cross-sectional online survey data from active members of two university sports centers in Germany. Findings reveal that a relative strength of DSE compared to similar OSE offers is the higher degree of autonomy experienced by users. However, this comes at the expense of the social, physical, affective, competence, and motivational experience. DSE courses are somewhat better rated by self-disciplined and healthy individuals, but lower rated by participants with a high motor competence. Overall, data lend support to the notion that DSE was just a stopgap for many during the lockdowns. For becoming a real alternative to on-site sports, DSE offers should be developed further in such a way that emotional and social experiences are enhanced.

Supplementary information: The online version of this article (10.1007/s12662-023-00881-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.