The Effects of Controlling Coaching Behavior on Athletes’ Psychological Need Satisfaction, Moral Decision-Making and Burnout in Sport Context

Abstract

Objective: The purpose of this investigation was to examine whether the relationships between coaching behavior and basic psychological needs were related to burnout and moral behavior (i.e., moral decision-making) in sport context. Method: To this end, we asked students to complete questionnaires to assess the controlling coaching behavior (CCB), psychological need satisfaction (PNS), moral decision-making and burnout in athlete-students (n=337) in the sport context. Results: The primary findings indicated that negative conditional regard within CCB had meaningful direct relations with burnout. PNS also was directly related with burnout but indirectly related with moral behavior. These findings reflected that coach autonomy support was an important environmental factor for need satisfaction, and moral behavior, whereas coach controlling coaching behavior (less controlling toward their athletes) was an important social factor for burnout and antisocial behavior. Conclusion: Overall, the results suggest that the social factor (i.e., coach autonomy-support) and PNS will influence the degree the which an individual engages in positive behaviors, whereas the CCB and need frustration will influence the degree to which an individual engages in burnout and negative behaviors in the sport context.