Philippe Sarrazin & Emma Guillet Laboratoire d’Etudes et Recherches sur l’Offre Sportive

Sarrazin & Guillet, International Conference of the French Society of Sport Psychology, 2000

Psychological and Social influences of the dropout vs. sport commitment : the example

of the female handballers

Philippe Sarrazin & Emma GuilletPhilippe Sarrazin & Emma GuilletLaboratoire d’Etudes et Recherches sur l’Offre SportiveLaboratoire d’Etudes et Recherches sur l’Offre Sportive

J. Fourier University, Grenoble.J. Fourier University, Grenoble.


Research QuestionResearch Question Massive passion for the sport which one could

observe these last years masks a paradox: a massive number of teenagers, particularly girls, drops out from sport every year (Sallis & Patrick, 1996).

Why do some people develop strong commitment to continue their sport activity, while others drops out from sport every year ?


Motivation ...a key variable to look at when attempting to predict sport participation or withdrawal.

Various motivational theories can be useful with Various motivational theories can be useful with respect to the study of sport dropout (see Gould, respect to the study of sport dropout (see Gould, 1987; Weiss & Chaumeton, 1992; Guillet, 1987; Weiss & Chaumeton, 1992; Guillet, Sarrazin & Cury, in press).Sarrazin & Cury, in press).


Three levels of analysis of the social influences and the implied psychological processes:

a targeted (micro) prospect on a privileged a targeted (micro) prospect on a privileged social actor, for example the coach.social actor, for example the coach.

an " average (meso) " prospect which is an " average (meso) " prospect which is interested to isolate several classes of factors to interested to isolate several classes of factors to explain the sport commitment.explain the sport commitment.

a broad prospect on a "cultural (macro)" level a broad prospect on a "cultural (macro)" level which apprehends influence of the gender rolewhich apprehends influence of the gender role


1- Social influences from the micro point of view: context of the coach1- Social influences from the micro point of view: context of the coach

Coaches’ s behavior establish a « motivational Coaches’ s behavior establish a « motivational climate » (Ames, 1992) which can have an climate » (Ames, 1992) which can have an important impact on athletes’ motivation.important impact on athletes’ motivation.

The Hierarchical Model of Vallerand (1997) The Hierarchical Model of Vallerand (1997) seems particularly well suited to study seems particularly well suited to study the the influence of the coach.influence of the coach.


The Hierarchical model of Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivation (Vallerand, 1997)

Type of Motivationmore or less

self-determined

Social factors :coach’s behavior

Consequences persistencedropout, ...

Psychological

mediators :

- perceived competence- perceived autonomy- perceived relatedness

+


Social influences from the micro point of view: context of the coachSocial influences from the micro point of view: context of the coach

Sarrazin, Vallerand, Guillet, Pelletier, & Cury Sarrazin, Vallerand, Guillet, Pelletier, & Cury (submitted)(submitted) 335 female handballers 335 female handballers between the ages of 13-15 yearsbetween the ages of 13-15 years Prospective study Prospective study over 21 monthsover 21 months Measures at the middle of one seasonMeasures at the middle of one season

Sport Motivation ScaleSport Motivation Scale (Brière et al., 1995; Pelletier et al., 1995)

Task- or Ego-involving climate of the coach Task- or Ego-involving climate of the coach (PMCSQ, Biddle et al., 1995; Cury et al., 1996)

Motivational mediatorsMotivational mediators Future sport intentions Future sport intentions (Ajzen & Driver, 1992)


ResultsResults

.56

.51

.27

-.24.78

.23

.08

-.79 .55

2(79)=204, p<.001

GFI = .99

CFI = .99

NFI = .99

RMSR = .08

TaskInvCl1 TaskInvCl2

.87 .85

-.21

.74 .89

PercRELAT1 PercRELAT2

.97 .92

SDmotiv1 SDmotiv2

.87 .86

BehInt1 BehInt2

.87 .99

PercAUTO1 PercAUTO2

.66.77

PercCOMP1 PercCOMP2

EgoInvCl1 EgoInvCl2

.99.86

2(56)=68.61, p>.10

GFI = 1.00

CFI = 1.00

NFI = 1.00

RMSR = .04

Ego involvingclimate

Task involvingclimate

Perceived Relatedness

Self-determinedmotivation

R2=.78

Behaviordropout

21 months later

R2=.31 Perceived

Competence

Perceived Autonomy

Behavioral intention

R2=.62


2- Social influences in a meso-prospect: the sport commitment model

CommitmentCommitment : a variable used by social : a variable used by social psychologist to describe a set of factors that can psychologist to describe a set of factors that can explain why people stay in relationships or explain why people stay in relationships or continue involvement in activities (e.g., Homans, continue involvement in activities (e.g., Homans, 1961; Kelley, 1983; Rusbult & Farrell, 1983).1961; Kelley, 1983; Rusbult & Farrell, 1983).

Scanlan and her colleagues (e.g., Carpenter, & Scanlan and her colleagues (e.g., Carpenter, & Coleman, 1998; Scanlan, Carpenter, Schmidt, Coleman, 1998; Scanlan, Carpenter, Schmidt, Simons & Keeler, 1993) modified Rusbult's Simons & Keeler, 1993) modified Rusbult's model to examine sport commitment.model to examine sport commitment.


The Sport Commitment Model The Sport Commitment Model

Sport Sport CommitmentCommitment

desire and desire and resolve to resolve to

continue sport continue sport participationparticipation

Attractiveness of the most preferred Attractiveness of the most preferred alternativesalternatives available to a person available to a person

-

Cost / benefit ratio of the involvementCost / benefit ratio of the involvement anticipated positive and negative, material and anticipated positive and negative, material and

psychological consequencespsychological consequences

+

Personal InvestmentsPersonal Investments : : resources that are resources that are put into the activity which cannot recovered if put into the activity which cannot recovered if

participation is discontinuedparticipation is discontinued

+

Social constraintsSocial constraints : social expectations : social expectations which create feelings of obligation to which create feelings of obligation to

remain in the activityremain in the activity ?


Social influences in a meso-prospect: the sport commitment model Social influences in a meso-prospect: the sport commitment model

Guillet, Sarrazin, Trouilloud, & Cury Guillet, Sarrazin, Trouilloud, & Cury ((manuscript in preparation))

253 female handballers 253 female handballers between the ages of 14-16 yearsbetween the ages of 14-16 years Prospective study Prospective study over 8 monthsover 8 months Measures at the middle of one seasonMeasures at the middle of one season

CommitmentCommitment InvestmentsInvestments : number of years of practice : number of years of practice Social constraintsSocial constraints (e. g., I feel I have to play handball to please (e. g., I feel I have to play handball to please

people important for me (my coach, my parents)people important for me (my coach, my parents) Involvement Involvement alternativesalternatives Cost / benefice ratioCost / benefice ratio : perceived competence, progress, affiliation, : perceived competence, progress, affiliation,

autonomy, coach's support, time of play.autonomy, coach's support, time of play.


ResultsResults

Personal Personal InvestmentsInvestments

Cost / benefit Cost / benefit ratio of the ratio of the involvementinvolvement

Behaviordropout8 months

laterR2=.50

Social Social constraintsconstraints

alternativesalternatives

Commitment

R2=.76

-.19

.90

ns

-.15

-.70

2(66)=150, p>.15

GFI = .98

CFI = .98

NFI = .97

RMSR = .09

Competence

Progress

Affiliation

Autonomy

Coach’s support

Time of play

.57

.52

.69

.53

.46

.62

Alt. 2

Alt. 1

SC 1

SC 1

PI 1

Com 1 Com 2

2(54)=114, p>.15

GFI = .98

CFI = .98

NFI = .97

RMSR = .07


3- Social influences in a macro-prospect:

conformity with the gender roles

Sport remains one of those life areas which are Sport remains one of those life areas which are clearly divided in the men’s and women’s worlds: clearly divided in the men’s and women’s worlds: there are “appropriate” sports for men and others there are “appropriate” sports for men and others for women (Salminen, 1990; Koivula, 1995)for women (Salminen, 1990; Koivula, 1995)

One of the explanations of the differences One of the explanations of the differences between boys’ and girls’ sport participation and between boys’ and girls’ sport participation and commitment came from the socialization of commitment came from the socialization of gender-role (e.g., Eccles & Harold, 1991).gender-role (e.g., Eccles & Harold, 1991).


Social influences in a macro-prospect:

conformity with the gender roles This socialization could lead the individuals to This socialization could lead the individuals to

drop out a sport activity according to its drop out a sport activity according to its conformity with their gender’s stereotypes. conformity with their gender’s stereotypes.

This phenomenon seems particularly salient This phenomenon seems particularly salient among girls and boys who strongly wish to among girls and boys who strongly wish to conform to their gender-role (i.e., sex-typed men conform to their gender-role (i.e., sex-typed men and women) and women) (Bem & Lenney, 1976; Koivula, 1995; Matteo, 1988).(Bem & Lenney, 1976; Koivula, 1995; Matteo, 1988).

Females who want to be feminine should be less Females who want to be feminine should be less likely to continue sports sex-typed as male (e.g., likely to continue sports sex-typed as male (e.g., handball). handball).


Social influences in a macro-prospect:

conformity with the gender roles Social influences in a macro-prospect:

conformity with the gender roles Guillet, Sarrazin, & Fontayne Guillet, Sarrazin, & Fontayne ((manuscript in preparationmanuscript in preparation))

336 female handballers 336 female handballers between the ages of 13-16 yearsbetween the ages of 13-16 years Longitudinal Longitudinal study study over 30 monthsover 30 months Measures at the middle of one seasonMeasures at the middle of one season

Sex-Role (BSRI; Fontayne, Sarrazin & Famose, in press) Sex-Role (BSRI; Fontayne, Sarrazin & Famose, in press) 4 4 gender identity groups (i.e., Feminine, Masculine, Androgynous, gender identity groups (i.e., Feminine, Masculine, Androgynous, and undifferentiated subjects). and undifferentiated subjects).

At each beginning of season, subjects were contacted by At each beginning of season, subjects were contacted by mail or telephone to know their statute (i.e., taking part vs. mail or telephone to know their statute (i.e., taking part vs. dropout). dropout).


Results of survival analysis2 (3) = 12.12, p <.001

ANDRO

FEM

MASC

INDIF

Time (days)

Cum

ulat

ive

Pro

port

ion

Sur

vivi

ng (

%)

0,50

0,55

0,60

0,65

0,70

0,75

0,80

0,85

0,90

0,95

1,00

1,05

0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900

Cumulative Proportion Surviving (Kaplan-Meier)


ConclusionConclusion The sport dropout is a complex phenomenon. The sport dropout is a complex phenomenon.

A more complete comprehension of the A more complete comprehension of the phenomenon requires the crossing of several phenomenon requires the crossing of several theoretical models. theoretical models.

The stake is serious: to stop a phenomenon The stake is serious: to stop a phenomenon which in the long term could prove to be which in the long term could prove to be alarming on the level of the public health.alarming on the level of the public health.

Documents

Philippe Sarrazin & Emma Guillet Laboratoire d’Etudes et Recherches sur l’Offre Sportive