Coaches' Verbal Aggressiveness and Motivational Climate as Predictors of Athletes’ Satisfaction

Aims: The purpose of this study was to explore: (a) The relationship between coaches’ verbal aggression and motivational climate; (b) The influence of perceived motivational climate and coaches’ verbal aggression on athletes’ satisfaction with training; and (c) Gender and sports’ type (contact and non-contact) differences in motivational climate and verbal aggressiveness.
Methodology: Athletes (N=322) from Central Greece voluntarily participate in this cross-sectional study by filling in 3 self-reported questionnaires. Their age varied from 13 to 17 years (M=14.74, SD=1.28).
Results: The findings of the multiple regression analysis revealed that mastery climate is a positive predictor of athletes’ satisfaction during practice, whereas performance climate and coaches’ verbal aggression have proved to be negative predictors of athletes’ satisfaction. Additionally, MANOVA’s findings indicated that female athletes presented higher levels of perceived verbal aggressiveness and performance climate than the male athletes. In contrast, male athletes presented higher levels of perceived mastery climate than female. Furthermore, athletes of non-contact sports perceived as more verbally aggressive their coaches and more performance oriented the training climate compare to athletes of contact sports. Finally, athletes of contact sports perceived training session as more mastery oriented compare to athletes of non-contact sports.
Conclusion: In the light of the aforementioned findings it can be concluded that once again coaches’ verbal aggressiveness is harmful for athletes’ feelings. Additionally, the findings suggested that coaches should promote mastery climate during practice rather than performance aiming in their athletes’ satisfaction.