Motivation in sport: an achievement goal perspective in young Spanish recreational athletes

This study examined the relationship between goal orientations, perceived motivational climate, enjoyment, satisfaction, perception of ability, and preference for tasks with different levels of difficulty in Spanish athletes. To measure these variables 323 recreational athletes completed the Spanish versions of the Perception of Success Questionnaire, Perception of Significant Others' Sport Success Criteria Questionnaire, Enjoyment/Boredom scale, and Satisfaction in Sport Questionnaire. To measure perception of ability, athletes responded to two items reflecting a general perception and a comparative perception of their ability. Finally, preference for a task of different difficulty was measured by two items reflecting preference for easy and for challenging tasks. Analysis showed that scores on a positive ego orientation and negative task orientation were associated with maladaptive motivational patterns in sport. Such patterns involve lower perceptual ability, preference for easy tasks, and less enjoyment and satisfaction in sport activities.