Parents and Student-Athletes: The Propensity to Underestimate the Importance of Social Factors for Sports Performance

Abstract

Recent investigative studies reveal that social support and parental behavior are protective against poor performance, and positive involvement is compatible with better performance. The current research investigates insights into the contribution of parental involvement to student-athletes. Student-athletes from different colleges of the district (N=202) completed a survey on an adopted questionnaire with the permission of Prof. Dr Craig Williams, assessing the perceived importance of parental behavior with student-athlete. Participants reported positively moderate to higher levels of relationship between parent's behavior and sports activity with r=.374 and a p-value less than 0.01, representing positive-relationship between parents' behavior and sports activity. The regression model also indicates the same, with an unstandardized coefficient for parent's involvement B=.326, parent's behavior B=.089and significance level less than 0.05. This research points to a range of challenges provoking those who seek to promote a greater understanding of the significance of social factors for higher sports performances.