Sport Commitment Model Research Articles

Modelling commitment and compensation: a case study of a 52-year-old masters athlete

Masters Athletes (MAs) are a highly unique cohort who participate in competitive sport in adulthood. Understanding the factors facilitating one athlete’s personal commitment may illustrate the nature of adaptive strategies for remaining active in sport. In this case study, Andrew (pseudonym), a 52- year-old nationally ranked Canadian runner, provincially ranked squash player and regional cross-country skiing champion was interviewed about personal and social conditions facilitating his sport commitment and strategies he used to maintain elite performance. Andrew’s accounts were deductively analysed using the Sport Commitment Model(SCM) and the Model of Selective Optimisation with Compensation (MSOC). With respect to the SCM, Andrew committed to sport because he inherently enjoyed training and competing, benefited from social connections around sport, and was afforded opportunities to compete, travel to new places and feel youthful. With respect to the MSOC, Andrew sustained year-round activity by prioritising his sports and reducing his participation intensity in low-ranked activities before major competitions in other activities. Moreover, he increased his sport-specific practice, and used his knowledge and experience to alter his techniques and training to compensate for age-related losses. Results supported the aforementioned models for understanding why MAs remain committed and how they remain proficient in sport.

A Comparison of Sport Commitment in Female-Only versus Co-Recreational Intramural Basketball Leagues

Although there are a variety of positive benefits of collegiate intramural sports participation, female participation remains low in comparison with male participation. Discovering more about the feelings women have toward intramural sports may improve strategies for their recruitment and retention. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate female students' commitment to intramural sports participation to determine whether an all-female league might foster greater levels of sport commitment than a corecreational league. Participants were 109 women from either an all-female ( n = 53) or corecreational ( n = 56) intramural basketball league who were asked to complete the Sport Commitment Model (SCM). The SCM measures constructs of Sport Commitment, Sport Enjoyment, Personal Investments, Social Constraints, Involvement Opportunities, Involvement Alternatives, and Social Support. Participants were recruited for a three-week period toward the end of the regular basketball season. Mean scores for constructs indicated that both groups were highly committed to intramural participation, indicating that sports had perceived value. Paired samples t tests found no significant differences on subscale scores between groups except for the Sport Commitment subscale, where female-only participants had significantly higher levels of Sport Commitment, t (53) = 2.10, p = .04. Female-only groups may develop greater connectedness among teammates in addition to recognizing the need for commitment throughout the season. Further analysis and recommendations for future research into women's participation in intramural sports are discussed to build upon the limited body of knowledge that exists.

A Comparison of Sport Commitment in Female-Only Versus Co-Recreational Intramural Basketball Leagues

Although there are a variety of positive benefits of collegiate intramural sports participation, female participation remains low in comparison with male participation. Discovering more about the feelings women have toward intramural sports may improve strategies for their recruitment and retention. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate female students' commitment to intramural sports participation to determine whether an all-female league might foster greater levels of sport commitment than a corecreational league. Participants were 109 women from either an all-female (n = 53) or corecreational (n = 56) intramural basketball league who were asked to complete the Sport Commitment Model (SCM). The SCM measures constructs of Sport Commitment, Sport Enjoyment, Personal Investments, Social Constraints, Involvement Opportunities, Involvement Alternatives, and Social Support. Participants were recruited for a three-week period toward the end of the regular basketball season. Mean scores for constructs indicated that both groups were highly committed to intramural participation, indicating that sports had perceived value. Paired samples t tests found no significant differences on subscale scores between groups except for the Sport Commitment subscale, where female-only participants had significantly higher levels of Sport Commitment, t (53) = 2.10, p = .04. Female-only groups may develop greater connectedness among teammates in addition to recognizing the need for commitment throughout the season. Further analysis and recommendations for future research into women's participation in intramural sports are discussed to build upon the limited body of knowledge that exists.

Commitment to Strength and Conditioning

The purpose of this study was to empirically apply the sport commitment constructs within the realm of strength and conditioning. Based on prior research in the sport domain, it was predicted that higher enjoyment, investments, benefits, and social support and lower perceived costs and attractive alternatives would predict higher commitment to strength and conditioning. With a sample of 191 intercollegiate male and female athletes, a pilot study was conducted to examine the predictors of commitment to strength and conditioning. Multiple regression analysis revealed that the strongest predictors of strength and conditioning commitment were perceived investments, benefits, enjoyment, costs, and attractive alternatives. Interestingly, differences emerged between men and women regarding the most salient predictors of commitment to strength and conditioning. Gender differences also emerged with male athletes reporting higher perceptions of enjoyment, benefits, and perceived obligation to their best friend to continue strength and conditioning. These findings are important both theoretically and practically. The Sport Commitment Model may provide an avenue to gain a further insight into strength and conditioning motivation, and providing practical strategies for increasing athletes' commitment: increasing enjoyment and perceived benefits, and decreasing perceived downsides and attractive alternatives.

Predictors of Commitment to Athletic Training Education

Context In order for athletic training students to be successful in any athletic training education program (ATEP), a certain level of commitment to the program and profession is required. Objective The purpose of this study was to explore the applicability of the sport commitment model (SCM) to an ATEP by applying the SCM in an academic setting to predict ATEP students' commitment to an ATEP. Design Cross-sectional, survey. Setting Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education–accredited ATEP. Patients or Other Participants A total of 99 male and female athletic training students participated. Participants ranged in age from 18 to 24 years of age (mean = 20.10 ± 1.28). Intervention(s) Previously validated measures were used to assess students' perceptions of enjoyment, attractive alternatives, investments, social constraints and support, benefits and costs, and commitment to the ATEP. All measures demonstrated adequate reliability for the current sample (Cronbach α = 0.71–0.93). Main Outcome Measure(s) A simultaneous multiple regression was conducted to determine which of the SCM determinants predicted ATEP commitment. An analysis of variance and a multivariate analysis of variance were conducted to compare preservice and first-, second-, and third-year ATEP students on SCM constructs. Results Perceived enjoyment and investments emerged as the significant predictors for ATEP commitment, with higher perceptions of enjoyment and investments predicting higher ATEP commitment. Students of varying academic years differed on their perceptions of ATEP enjoyment, with preservice students reporting higher enjoyment than first- or third-year students, and second-year students reporting higher enjoyment than third-year students. Additionally, preservice students reported significantly higher commitment and benefits, and lower costs and attractive alternatives, than first- and third-year students. Second-year students reported lower perceived costs than first- and third-year students. Conclusions The SCM may provide a theoretical framework in which to predict ATEP students' commitment to the program, as well as behavioral commitment (eg, stay/leave behavior).

Commitment to Sport and Exercise: Re-examining the Literature for a Practical and Parsimonious Model

A commitment to physical activity is necessary for personal health, and is a primary goal of physical activity practitioners. Effective practitioners rely on theory and research as a guide to best practices. Thus, sound theory, which is both practical and parsimonious, is a key to effective practice. The purpose of this paper is to review the literature in search of such a theory - one that applies to and explains commitment to physical activity in the form of sport and exercise for youths and adults. The Sport Commitment Model has been commonly used to study commitment to sport and has more recently been applied to the exercise context. In this paper, research using the Sport Commitment Model is reviewed relative to its utility in both the sport and exercise contexts. Through this process, the relevance of the Investment Model for study of physical activity commitment emerged, and a more parsimonious framework for studying of commitment to physical activity is suggested. Lastly, links between the models of commitment and individuals' participation motives in physical activity are suggested and practical implications forwarded.

Highly Successful Weight Control by Formerly Obese Adolescents: A Qualitative Test of the Healthy Obsession Model

The Healthy Obsession Model (HOM) suggests that successful weight controllers must develop a preoccupation with the planning and execution of target behaviors to reach and maintain healthy weights (e.g., controlled eating, consistent selfmonitoring). This model further posits that committed weight controllers will feel substantial anxiety or frustration when lapses occur, which, in turn, will motivate them to reinstate target behaviors. The present study tested the HOM by examining the perceptions and attitudes of four very successful and four relatively unsuccessful adolescent weight controllers 1 year after completing immersion treatment. We expected that successful weight controllers, more so than unsuccessful weight controllers, would report more elaborate definitions of their healthy obsessions and describe more negative reactions to potential and actual lapses. In-depth interviews were conducted using a version of the Scanlan Collaborative Interview Method. Reliable coding of the interviews produced results that supported the hypothesis that highly successful weight controllers seem to nurture strong healthy obsessions, including clear definitions of healthy obsessions, heightened commitment based on the emotional impact of excess weight, and negative reactions to lapses. In addition, these adolescent weight controllers seemed motivated by some of the same factors that elite athletes identified in the Sport Commitment Model (e.g., Emotional and Experiential Consequences; Social Support of Parents, Friends, and Peers; Institutional Influences; and Valuable Opportunities).

A comparative study of factors influencing participation in sport and physical activity for metropolitan and rural female adolescents

The aim of this research was to provide a comparative analysis of the influence of behavioural alternatives, autonomy, competence and relatedness on participation in sport and physical activity for female adolescents within metropolitan and rural settings. Eighteen focus groups were conducted with a cross section of schools within metropolitan Melbourne and rural Victoria, Australia, involving 12–13-year olds and 15–16-year olds, using a semi-structured format. Content and thematic analyses were conducted on the data. Findings supported the sport commitment model by demonstrating that, in both rural and metropolitan settings, participation was influenced by the strength of commitment to a range of behavioural alternatives. Our findings also extended self-determination theory by suggesting that autonomy, competence, and relatedness were interrelated and their strength and influence on participation varied between settings. This study also has practical implications, including the promotion of more inclusive and supportive sports environments for female adolescents and promoting sport and physical activities as activity that promotes wellness, complements academic endeavours and reduces the stress of academic study.

Examining social influences on the sport commitment of Masters swimmers

Objectives The purpose was to use the Sport Commitment Model ( Scanlan, Russell, Beals, & Scanlan, 2003) to examine social influences and the specific social agents/sources that foster a resolve to continue sport. Design Cross-sectional survey. Methods Masters swimmers ( n = 424; M age = 54.0; 220 m, 204 f) completed a survey ( Wilson et al., 2004) assessing perceptions of 2 commitment types, social support and constraints relating to 8 sources in their social environment, and perceptions of 4 non-social determinants (enjoyment, personal investments, involvement opportunities, involvement alternatives). Results In Analysis 1, only scores for support and constraints relating to each social source were entered into simultaneous regression models for functional ( R 2 = .11, p < .01) and obligatory commitment ( R 2 = .39, p < .001), separately. Critical social influence variables were identified, advanced to Analysis 2, and entered simultaneously with 4 non-social determinants into regression models for each commitment type. Enjoyment ( β = .42), personal investments (.28), social constraints from own children (.15), and investment alternatives (−.12) (all ps < .05) predicted functional commitment ( R 2 = .57, p < .001). Involvement opportunities ( β = .23), involvement alternatives (.23), social constraints from spouse (.24), own children (.19), and training partners (.13), and social support from health professionals (−.15) (all ps ≤ .05) explained obligatory commitment ( R 2 = .47, p < .001). Conclusion When designing interventions to sustain participation, subsets of Masters athletes reporting a broad social network would benefit from a focus on reducing pressures from spouse, children, and training mates, while heightening support from health practitioners.

대학 스포츠 동아리 학생들의 재미요인이 운동몰입에 미치는 영향

The purpose of this study was to identify the effects of the Enjoyment on the sports Commitment when University Students` Sports Circle member. To accomplish the purpose above, I drew 274 samples conveniently from male and located in the metropolitan area C, D, I participated in University Students` Sports Circle and University students were set to the population. Also, I revised the questionnaire which Kim Byoung-Joon(1999) had used, and applied it to estimate the Enjoyment. Moreover, I revised the survey which Jeong Yong-Gak(2004) developed based on the current situation in Korea from the basis of Scanlan(1993)`s ESCM (Expansion of sport Commitment Model) and applied it to estimate the Commitment experience. The collected materials were then analyzed into t-test and One-way ANOVA analyses and depending on the purpose of the analysis, correlation analysis and multiple regression analysis were implemented by using SPSS 12.0. The conclusion from the material analysis based on the above processes is as follows. First, University Students` Sports Circle member and join the Enjoyment factor gender showed no significant difference according to duration. Second, University Students` Sports Circle member and join the exercise Commitment gender showed no significant difference according to duration. Third, it turned out that the Enjoyment factor and sports Commitment factor element have significant. Fourth, the University Students` Sports Circle member Enjoyment factor practice and benefits, support of the family, the club atmosphere, victory and competition exercise Commitment showed no significant impact.

Sport commitment among competitive female athletes: Test of an expanded model

In the present study, we examined an expanded model of sport commitment by adding two determinants (perceived costs and perceived competence) and behavioural commitment as a consequence of psychological commitment, as well as identifying psychological commitment as a mediator of relationships between determinants and behavioural commitment. Competitive female gymnasts (N = 304, age 8–18 years) completed relevant measures while coaches rated each gymnast's training behaviours as an indicator of behavioural commitment. Path analysis revealed that the best fitting model was one in which original determinants (enjoyment, involvement opportunities, investments, attractive alternatives) and an added determinant (perceived costs) predicted psychological commitment, in addition to investments and perceived costs directly predicting behavioural commitment. These results provide further, but partial, support for the sport commitment model and also suggest that additional determinants and behavioural consequences be considered in future research.

Project on Elite Athlete Commitment (PEAK): III. An Examination of the External Validity across Gender, and the Expansion and Clarification of the Sport Commitment Model

The Sport Commitment Model was further tested using the Scanlan Collaborative Interview Method to examine its generalizability to New Zealand's elite female amateur netball team, the Silver Ferns. Results supported or clarified Sport Commitment Model predictions, revealed avenues for model expansion, and elucidated the functions of perceived competence and enjoyment in the commitment process. A comparison and contrast of the in-depth interview data from the Silver Ferns with previous interview data from a comparable elite team of amateur male athletes allowed assessment of model external validity, tested the generalizability of the underlying mechanisms, and separated gender differences from discrepancies that simply reflected team or idiosyncratic differences.

The Sport Commitment Model: An Investigation of Structural Relationships with Thai Youth Athlete Populations

Grounded in the conceptual framework of the Sport Commitment Model and previous empirical studies conducted in Western countries, this study was designed to (a) test and validate a Thai version of the Athlete Opinion Survey to assess components of the Sport Commitment Model in Thai youth athletes and (b) examine structural relationships among various constructs of the Sport Commitment Model as assessed by the Thai version of the Athlete Opinion Survey. Survey data were collected from 1,704 Thai youth athletes and analyzed via structural equation modeling methodologies to establish evidence for validity and measurement reliability. Results from various analyses indicated adequate support for the hypothesized factorial structure and acceptable reliability estimates of the Thai version of the Athlete Opinion Survey subscales. Moreover, modeling analyses showed empirical support for the hypothesized structural relationships underlying the Sport Commitment Model in the Thai youth athlete population. The findings from this study have implications for a better understanding of sport commitment in different cultural settings.

Applying the Sport Commitment Model to Strength and Conditioning

IT IS IMPORTANT THAT ATHLETES ARE COMMITTED TO A STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING PROGRAM, TO GAIN SPEED AND POWER. HOWEVER, FOR MANY STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING COACHES, IT IS DIFFICULT TO FACILITATE THE COMMITMENT OF THEIR ATHLETES TO THE PROGRAM. THE SPORT COMMITMENT MODEL IS A THEORETICAL MODEL THAT CAN HELP COACHES UNDERSTAND THE COMMITMENT LEVELS OF THEIR ATHLETES. THEREFORE, THE PURPOSE OF THIS WORK IS TO HIGHLIGHT THE 6 ANTECEDENTS OF SPORT COMMITMENT: SPORT ENJOYMENT, INVOLVEMENT ALTERNATIVES, PERSONAL INVESTMENT, SOCIAL CONSTRAINTS, INVOLVEMENT OPPORTUNITIES, AND SOCIAL SUPPORT. THEN, THESE ANTECEDENTS WILL BE APPLIED TO THE FIELD OF STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING.

146 A test of the extended Sport Commitment Model in an after school hours care sports program domain

146 A test of the extended Sport Commitment Model in an after school hours care sports program domain

A Sport Commitment Model Perspective on Adult Tennis Players’ Participation Frequency and Purchase Intention

Although sport commitment has received wide spread theoretical and empirical attention over the past 15 years, its application to adult sport participants has gone largely ignored. This study examined the determinants of adult tennis players’ motivation to continue involvement using the sport commitment model (Scanlan, Carpenter, Schmidt, Simons, & Keeler, 1993) as a theoretical framework, and extended the model to participation frequency and purchase intention. Based on previous research using the sport commitment model, a revised direct/indirect model, in which enjoyment was the mediator of the relationships between determinants and level of commitment, was also tested. Data were gathered via a web-based questionnaire from community tennis association members (N = 537). Relationships among variables were tested and a comparison of models was tested using structural equation modelling. With the sport commitment model, personal investment, enjoyment, involvement opportunities, and social support were found to be significant predictors of sport commitment, while commitment significantly predicted participation frequency and purchase intention. Tests of the direct/indirect model indicate acceptable model fit, although not as good as the original model. However, this model suggests involvement alternatives and social constraints on tennis enjoyment. Results can be used to develop customer-oriented marketing strategies targeted for the adult tennis participant.

Sport Commitment Among Competitive Female Gymnasts

The purpose of this study was to examine age and competitive level differences in the relationship between determinants and level of sport commitment. Gymnasts (N = 304) comprised three age groups (8–11, 11–14.5, and 14.5–18 years) and two competitive levels (Levels 5–6 and 8–10). Multiple regression analyses revealed: (a) perceived costs and social constraints from parents and best friends were the strongest predictors of commitment for the youngest gymnasts, (b) perceived costs, personal investments, and parent social constraints predicted commitment for 11–14.5-year-old gymnasts, and (c) perceived competence and costs predicted commitment for the oldest gymnasts. Competitive level differences also emerged; for Level 5–6 gymnasts, personal investments, perceived costs, coach social support, and social constraints by coach, best friend, and teammates were predictors of commitment. Personal investments and teammate social constraints were significant predictors for Level 8–10 gymnasts. Developmental factors and additional determinants are important to consider in further studies of the sport commitment model.

Psychosocial Aspects of Youth Disability Sport

Psychosocial aspects of participation in youth disability sport were examined using social-cognitive theory and the sport commitment model. An international sample of athletes with disabilities (N = 112) reported high levels of sport commitment and sport enjoyment, perceived physical ability, and sport friendship quality. They perceived their parents to provide moderately strong levels of encouragement of their sport participation. Correlational analyses indicated moderate to strong relationships among sport commitment, sport enjoyment, and perceived physical ability. Sport commitment, parental encouragement, and sport friendship quality were only somewhat related. Regression analyses indicated that enjoyment was a significant predictor (i.e., 43% of the variance) of sport commitment. The sport experience was a positive one for these athletes and enjoyment is likely a critical motivational factor in promoting a continued desire to remain in sport.

The relationship between commitment and exercise behavior

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between commitment and exercise behavior using the Sport Commitment Model (SCM; J Sport & Exercise Psychology, 15, 1) as a guiding conceptual framework. Design: Cross-sectional survey. Methods: Participants at two universities (N1=205; 83.4% female; N2=223; 73.1% female) provided demographic information and completed measures of exercise commitment and frequency of exercise behavior. Results: Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses supported the presence of 5 determinants (personal investments, social support, satisfaction, social constraints, and invovlement alternatives) and 2 dimensions (‘want’ and ‘have’) of commitment. Structural equation modeling analyses supported the predictive utility of the SCM accounting for 31% and 51% of the commitment dimension variance and 12% of the exercise behavior variance respectively. Satisfaction and personal investment predicted both commitment dimensions, whereas alternatives and social constraints predicted ‘have to’ commitment only, and the ‘want to’ commitment dimension was the only significant predictor of exercise behavior. Conclusion: These results render some support for the psychometric properties of the measures used to assess commitment constructs in the exercise domain and provide partial support for the application of the SCM to the study of exercise motivation issues.

Project on Elite Athlete Commitment (PEAK): I. Introduction and Methodology

We present an application of the Scanlan Collaborative Interview Method (SCIM) to the Project on Elite Athlete Commitment (PEAK). PEAK examines three samples of elite international athletes to further test and expand the Sport Commitment Model and assess its external validity. This first article in the series provides detailed descriptions of the study rationale, methods, procedures, interview schedule, and analysis strategy common to the three samples, along with participant characteristics and selection criteria. It also shares participants’ observations of the centrality of commitment to their athletic success, and their evaluation of the interview process.