Self-determination of contextual motivation,inter-context dynamics and adolescents’ patterns of sport participation over time

ObjectivesPrevious studies have shown the heuristic qualities of self-determination theory constructs to predict sport persistence. The purpose of this study was to extend these researches by focusing on the conflicting or instrumental relationship between sport and other life contexts (i.e., school and friendship) to enhance the understanding of this phenomenon.DesignA correlational longitudinal field design was used, including two data collections over 1 year.MethodParticipants were 446 French high school students (mean age=13.85). Self-determined motivation toward sport, school and friendship, perceived conflicts versus instrumental relationships between sport and the other contexts, and sport participation during leisure time were assessed at wave 1. One year later, participants completed the same self-report measure of sport practise.ResultsStructural equation modelling revealed that (a) self-determined motivation toward sport, education and friendship was significantly related to the levels of conflict and instrumentality between those contexts and (b) a competing relationship between sport and education was negatively linked to sport participation at Time 2, whereas the other inter context relationships were not.ConclusionFindings suggest that other contexts like education can undermine sport investment among adolescents.     

Empathy and conflict resolution in friendship relations among adolescents

The present study addressed empathy's role in conflict resolution within the context of adolescent same-sex friendship relations. Self-report questionnaires were used to assess dispositional affective empathy and conflict resolution styles (problem solving, conflict engagement, withdrawal and compliance). The data of 307 adolescents (149 boys, 158 girls) were included in a multigroup path analysis with sex as a moderator variable. In agreement with the hypothesis that higher levels of dispositional empathy are associated with more successful conflict management, dispositional affective empathy was found to be positively linked to problem solving and negatively linked to conflict engagement among adolescent boys and girls. Dispositional affective empathy was not related to the two more passive strategies (withdrawal and compliance). Sex differences were demonstrated in empathic tendencies, with girls being more empathic than boys. Sex differences were also established in conflict resolution strategies, with girls using problem solving, withdrawal and compliance more frequently than boys. Both sexes scored equally low on conflict engagement, however, and were found to prefer problem solving to all other conflict resolution strategies. Findings are discussed in terms of previous research on empathy and conflict resolution.     

The Relationship Between Narcissism and Friendship Qualities in Adolescents: Gender as a Moderator

The present study explored the gender characteristics of narcissism as well as its relationship with friendship quality dimensions (i.e., trust & support, validation, and disclosure & communication) among 485 (197 boys and 288 girls) junior high and high school adolescents in a Southwest province in China. Significant gender differences were found, such that boys were more narcissistic than girls,while girls reported higher levels of friendship qualities, including validation and disclosure & communication. To examine gender moderations in the relationships between narcissism and friendship quality dimensions, multiple-group (by boys and girls) structural equation modeling were conducted. The results revealed the significant gender moderations in the associations between narcissism and friendship quality dimensions, while controlling for adolescent grade level. Specifically, narcissism significantly and positively related to the three aspects of friendship qualities (i.e., trust & support, validation, and disclosure & communication) among boys, but was not related to friendship quality among girls. Discussions are provided for an understanding of the current findings in the Chinese cultural context.     

Relations of Gender, Gender-Related Personality Characteristics, and Dating Status to Adolescents�� Cross-Sex Friendship Quality

This study examined how gender, instrumentality, expressivity and dating status were associated with adolescents?? perceived cross-sex friendship quality. Two hundred sixty-two Hong Kong Chinese heterosexual teenagers (117 males, 145 females) aged 14 to 18 rated the levels of companionship, closeness, help, security and conflict in their best cross-sex friendships. Results showed that girls perceived more help but also more conflicts. Instrumentality and expressivity were consistent correlates of closeness and security, but they predicted other features differently in the two genders. Daters reported higher levels of companionship, closeness and help. Dating girls, in particular, perceived these friendships as involving the highest levels of security. These results provide some support for social role theory and interdependency across adolescents?? social relationships.     

Influence of perceived sport competence and body attractiveness on physical activity and other healthy lifestyle habits in adolescents

The purpose of this study was to test an explanatory model of the relationships between physical self-concept and some healthy habits. A sample of 472 adolescents aged 16 to 20 answered different questionnaires assessing physical self-concept, physical activity, intention to be physically active and consumption of alcohol and tobacco. The results of the structural equation model showed that perceived sport competence positively correlated with current physical activity. Body attractiveness positively correlated with physical activity in boys and negatively in girls. Current physical activity positively correlated with the intention to be physically active in the future and negatively with the consumption of alcohol and tobacco. Nevertheless, this last relationship was only significant in boys. The results are discussed in connection with the promotion of healthy lifestyle guidelines among adolescents. This model shows the importance of physical self-concept for engaging in physical activity in adolescence. It also suggests that physical activity is associated with the intention to continue being physically active and with healthy lifestyle habits.     

初中生亲子冲突、朋友冲突对孤独感的影响及其性别差异：一项交叉滞后研究

对1330名初中生进行间隔一年的追踪测试,通过交叉滞后的方法探讨亲子冲突、朋友冲突和孤独感之间的相互作用。结果发现,对男生而言,先前亲子冲突对随后朋友冲突和孤独感预测作用不显著,而朋友冲突与孤独感为相互预测关系,亲子冲突和朋友冲突不存在显著预测关系;对女生而言,先前亲子冲突可以显著正向预测随后孤独感,而朋友冲突则不能,亲子冲突与朋友冲突为相互预测关系。结论：朋友冲突对男生的孤独感影响更大,亲子冲突对女生的孤独感影响更大。     

Group cohesion and relatedness as predictors of self-determined motivation and burnout in adolescent female athletes

ObjectivesAthlete burnout is the result of a maladaptive sport experience that is influenced by the social context. A salient social contextual feature of youth sport is group cohesion. Cohesion may link with burnout through its association with relatedness and self-determined motivation. The current study was designed to test a model in which cohesion associates with burnout by way of relatedness and self-determined motivation.DesignCross-sectional survey-based study.MethodFemale youth soccer athletes (N = 276; M age = 14.9 years, SD = 1.3) completed measures of task and social cohesion, relatedness, self-determined motivation, and burnout.ResultsTask (β = 0.26) and social (β = 0.59) cohesion associated with perceptions of relatedness. In turn, relatedness positively linked with self-determined motivation (β = 0.38), which in turn negatively associated with global burnout (β = −0.79). The indirect effects from task cohesion to burnout (β = −0.08) and from social cohesion to burnout (β = −0.18) by way of relatedness and self-determined motivation were significant.ConclusionsResults support the proposed model whereby greater cohesion associates with an athlete’s feelings of relatedness, which links to more self-determined motivation and, consequently, lower burnout perceptions. Future research is needed to assess support for causality of these links and explore how contextual factors such as the teammate-created motivational climate contributes to group cohesion and relatedness perceptions within this burnout model.     

Development of sex stereotypes relative to sport competence and value during adolescence

ObjectivesSex stereotypes adoption is presumed to impact one's perceived competence and value and to ultimately lead to dropout of certain activities. Adolescence is deemed to represent a period during which sex stereotypes are reinforced. The purpose of this study was to examine through a longitudinal design how sex stereotypes concerning athletic competence and value differ across adolescence.DesignA three-wave longitudinal follow-up within five cohorts of adolescents (N = 718) was realized.MethodThe participants completed a questionnaire assessing indirectly sport value and sport competence sex stereotypes.ResultsMultilevel growth curve analyses indicated that (i) boys report higher levels of stereotypes, (ii) the level of stereotypes endorsement increases with age, (iii) the rate of change of stereotypes endorsement decreases, and (iv) its increase is more pronounced among girls.ConclusionsThe hypothesis of an increase of sex stereotypes attached to sport is confirmed among girls. Methodological shortcomings are underlined and research perspectives are advanced.     

Longitudinal linkages between sibling relationships and adjustment from middle childhood through adolescence

The links between changes in sibling conflict and intimacy and changes in perceived peer social competence and depression symptoms were examined from middle childhood through adolescence. Participants were mothers, fathers and first- and second-born siblings from 197 White, working/middle class, two-parent families. Peer competence peaked in early adolescence and then declined; depression symptoms were high in middle childhood and, for girls, in middle adolescence. Controlling for parent-offspring relationships and sibling and parent adjustment, increases in sibling conflict were linked to increases in depression symptoms, and increases in sibling intimacy were linked to increases in peer competence and, for girls, decreases in depression symptoms.     

Friendships and Romantic Relationships of Black and White Adolescents

Prior research on adolescent peer relationships has focused on interpersonal dimensions of friendships but not of romantic relationships, and has rarely examined minority groups. We used a random sample of 122 adolescents to examine race and gender differences in friendships, romantic relationships, and the congruence between closest friendship and romantic relationship on five interpersonal domains: mutual support, self-disclosure, hurtful conflict, fear of betrayal, and interpersonal sensitivity. Significant race by gender differences in the difference between relationship type for both positive and negative dimensions of relationships were found. White girls reported significantly higher levels of self-disclosure in their friendship ties in comparison to romantic relationship, whereas white boys reported nearly equivalent levels. In comparison to white adolescents, Black adolescent girls and boys had similar levels of self-disclosure in their romantic relationships as their same-sex friendships. With regards to negative elements of relationships, girls reported more hurtful conflict in romance than friendship, whereas boys reported an opposite pattern. Results highlight the importance of consideration of race and gender influences on youth interpersonal skills within peer and romantic relationships.     

父母支持、友谊支持对早中期青少年孤独感和抑郁的影响

以391名初一(青少年早期)和高一(青少年中期)学生为被试, 探讨了父母支持、友谊支持对孤独感和抑郁的影响模式。结果表明：(1)友谊支持是预测孤独感的更好指标, 父母支持是预测抑郁的更好指标; (2)父母支持和友谊支持仅对早期青少年孤独感和抑郁的影响存在显著交互作用, 但作用模式不同：父母支持可增强高友谊支持对降低青少年孤独感的作用(增强模式)而友谊支持可补偿低父母支持对降低青少年孤独感的作用(补偿模式); 两种支持系统可相互增强对方对降低青少年抑郁水平的效应(相互增强模式)。(3)与青少年早期不同, 青少年中期父母支持和友谊支持两个系统以“独立模式”而非“交互模式”影响青少年的情绪适应。结果提示, 家庭和同伴系统对青少年情绪适应的影响可能遵循多种模式, 但分别适用于不同适应问题和发展阶段。     

Self-perceptions, self-worth and sport participation in adolescents

The purpose of this study was to study the associations between specific self-perceptions and global self-worth with different frequency levels of sport participation among Spanish boys and girls adolescents. Students (457 boys and 460 girls) completed the Self Perception Profile for Children (Harter, 1985) and items assessing sport engagement from The Health Behavior in School Children Questionnaire (Wold, 1995). Results showed that some specific dimensions of self-perception were related to different frequency of sport participation whereas overall judgments of self-worth did not. Specifically, for boys and girls, higher levels of sport participation were positively associated to Athletic Competence, and for boys were also associated with Physical Appearance and Social Acceptance. The potential implications of domain specific socialisation processes on the configuration of self-perceptions are highlighted.     

Gender-related processes and drug use: self-expression with parents, peer group selection, and achievement motivation

This investigation examined gender differences in communication with parents, peer group selection, and academic motivation as related to drug use among adolescents (290 girls, 237 boys; age range = 12-19 years). For girls, increased self-expression with parents was associated with greater academic motivation, more academically motivated friends, fewer drug-using friends, and less overall drug use. For boys, self-expression was positively related to academic motivation. For both boys and girls, having drug-using friends predicted increased drug use, while having academically motivated friends predicted decreased drug use. For girls only, age and academic motivation predicted drug use as well. These findings indicate that peer group selection and academic motivation may mediate the relationship between drug use and parent-adolescent communication for girls only.     

Relationships Between Self-Determined Motivation and Developmental Outcomes in Sport-Based Positive Youth Development

Building on self-determination theory, this study examined the relationships between self-determined motivation toward sport participation and developmental outcomes in sport-based positive youth development. One hundred twenty participants in a sport-based positive youth development program designed to engage youth through running completed a postprogram survey measuring their self-determined motivation toward running and achievement of developmental outcomes. The results of regression analyses indicated that participants with higher self-determined motivation toward running reported higher general self-efficacy, more positive attitudes toward a healthy lifestyle, and lower engagement in threatening behavior. On the other hand, self-determined motivation was unrelated to self-reported academic performance.     

Friendship bonds in adolescence

To assess the major motifs of interpersonal relations, achievement, and physical development influencing friendship formations, 204 adolescents at three grade levels responded to an open-ended questionnaire concerning friendship values. While the interpersonal category was salient at all grade levels for both boys and girls, it increased with time. A corresponding decrease for the achievement and physical attributes categories also emerged. Thus, friendship formations suggest a developmental trend in terms of selection, exhibiting the highest fluctuation by late adolescence.     

Moderators of the Dynamic Link Between Alcohol Use and Aggressive Behavior among Adolescent Males

Although longitudinal evidence has linked alcohol use with aggressive behavior during adolescence, most studies have failed to adequately control for the numerous between-individual differences that may underlie this association. In addition, few studies of adolescents have examined whether the nature of the within-individual association between alcohol use and aggression depends on individual and contextual factors. To address these limitations, this study examined the association between within-individual changes in alcohol use and aggressive behavior across adolescence and determined whether impulsive behavior, positive attitudes toward violence, violent peers, neighborhood crime, and race moderated this association. Data from 971 adolescent males assessed annually from ages 13 to 18 were analyzed using a within-individual regression panel model that eliminated all stable between-individual factors as potential confounds. Findings indicated that within-individual increases in alcohol use quantity from one’s own typical levels of drinking were concurrently associated with within-individual increases in aggressive behavior, and vice versa. However, increases in alcohol were more strongly linked to increases in aggressive behavior among boys with attitudes favoring violence and those who lived in high-crime neighborhoods. The association between alcohol and aggressive behavior was similar for White and Black young men. Interventions designed to reduce aggressive behaviors should consider targeting not only alcohol use, but also individual and environmental risk factors that contribute to this link.     

Associations Between Multiple Types of Stress and Disordered Eating Among Girls and Boys in Middle School

Stress is common during adolescence, yet no known studies have linked particular types of stress (performance, relationship, education, financial, and family) with disordered eating among adolescents in middle school. The present study investigated sex differences in types of stress and how multiple types of stress were associated with girls’ and boys’ body dissatisfaction, dieting behaviors, and bulimic symptoms. We found that girls reported higher levels of stress than boys and that different associations between stress and disordered eating existed for girls and boys. We also examined a path model for both sexes such that stress first led to body dissatisfaction, which then led to dieting and finally bulimic symptoms. Our model was supported for girls with performance, relationship, and family stress driving the process. For boys, all five types of stress were associated with body dissatisfaction, which was linked with dieting; however, the relation between dieting and bulimic symptoms was not significant. Future research and therapy should focus on the unique experiences of each sex in order to gain a better understanding of the processes involved in coping with stress and promoting healthy development.     

When Empathy Matters: The Role of Sex and Empathy in Close Friendships

Based on prior theory and research (Ciarrochi & Heaven, 2009; Eagly & Wood, 1999), we hypothesized that the link between empathy and friendship would be moderated by sex: Girls will nominate empathic boys as friends, whereas boys will not tend to nominate empathic girls. We collected measures of empathy, friendship social support, and close friendship nominations in grade 10 across 1,970 students in 16 schools (M_age = 15.70, SD = .44; males = 993, females = 977). Multilevel models revealed that boys high in cognitive empathy attracted an average of 1.8 more girl friendship nominations than did their low empathy counterparts, whereas empathic girls did not attract a greater number of opposite‐sex friends. In addition, the more friendship nominations a boy received from either boys or girls, the more they felt supported by their friends; the number of friendship nominations received by girls, in contrast, had no effect on their felt support by friends. Regardless of the quantity of friendship nominations, empathy was linked to more supportive friendships for both males and females. These results inform a contextual understanding of the role of empathy in selecting and maintaining friendships.     

Stress,sense of coherence and emotional symptoms in adolescents

This paper aims to investigate the association between the domains of stress, sense of coherence (SOC) and emotional symptoms (depression and anxiety) in adolescents, as well as the potential moderating role of SOC on the relationship between stress and emotional symptoms. The study is based on a cross-sectional sample of 1183 adolescents aged 13–18 who attend public elementary and secondary schools in Mid-Norway. The results showed that girls scored higher than boys on stress related to peer pressure, home life, school performance, school/leisure conflict and emotional symptoms. Conversely, boys reported higher SOC than girls. Results from multiple hierarchical regression analyses showed that for boys, stress related to school performance was positively associated with symptoms of both depression and anxiety, whereas stress from peer pressure was associated with depressive symptoms. For girls, stress from peer pressure, romantic relationships and school was associated with more depressive symptoms. SOC was strongly and inversely associated with emotional symptoms, especially anxiety in girls. SOC also moderated the association between stress related to peer pressure and depressive symptoms in both genders. The study provides evidence of the association of SOC with stress and emotional symptoms during adolescence.     

The influence of a physical ability intervention program on improved running time and increased sport motivation among Jerusalem schoolchildren

Several studies have demonstrated an inverse relationship between physical activity and coronary heart disease (CHD). Other studies have reported a negative correlation between aerobic capacity and obesity and CHD risk factors among adolescents. In this study, the possibility of modifying physical ability in adolescents aged 13 has been examined through a physical ability intervention program. During 1984-1985, all eligible eighth graders from five Jerusalem public schools participated in the program. Physical ability was defined in the biological dimension by the running time for 1000 meters, and in the psychological dimension by sport motivation. The intervention program involved a periodic and progressive increase of physical effort of children in 16 gym lessons during the regular curriculum. The major findings were that the test group improved their running time and had better sport motivation than did the control group, and there were differences between boys and girls and an influence of sexual maturation on running time in girls.