Investigating athlete mentoring functions and their association with leadership behaviours and protégé satisfaction

Abstract

The purpose of the present study was twofold. The first purpose was to examine the relationship between athlete mentor leadership behaviours and protégé receipt of mentoring functions. The second purpose was to examine the association between mentoring functions and protégé satisfaction. Intercollegiate athletes who indicated that they were protégés (N = 272) completed measures to assess their athlete mentors’ use of leadership behaviours (DTLI) and mentoring functions (MRI). Protégés also completed an instrument (ASQ) which assessed the degree to which they were personally satisfied during the time they were mentored. The results of structural equation modelling showed that the transformational leadership behaviour of inspirational motivation was positively related to psychosocial mentoring. In addition, the transformational leadership behaviour of intellectual stimulation and the transactional leadership behaviour of contingent reward showed positive associations to vocational mentoring. Finally, results showed that psychosocial mentoring was positively related to protégé satisfaction. These findings provide sport psychology consultants, coaches, and athletes with important knowledge concerning which mentoring functions are related to specific leadership behaviours and protégé satisfaction.