Predicting performance and performance satisfaction: mindfulness and beliefs about the ability to deal with social barriers in sport

Abstract

This research investigates the role of beliefs about the ability to deal with specific social barriers and its relationships to mindfulness, football performance, and satisfaction with one's own and team performance. Study 1 aimed at eliciting these social barriers. Study 2 tested (i) whether self-efficacy referring to social barriers would predict performance over and above task-related self-efficacy and collective efficacy and (ii) the mediating role of self-efficacy to overcome social barriers in the relationship between mindfulness and performance. Participants were football (soccer) players aged 16–21 years (Study 1: N = 30; Study 2: N = 101, longitudinal sample: n = 88). Study 1 resulted in eliciting 82 social barriers referring to team, peer leadership, and coaches. Study 2 showed that task-related self-efficacy and collective efficacy explained performance satisfaction at seven-month follow-up, whereas self-efficacy referring to social barriers explained shooting performance at seven-month follow-up. Indirect associations between mindfulness and performance were found with three types of self-efficacy referring to social barriers, operating as parallel mediators. Results provide evidence for the role of beliefs about the ability to cope with social barriers and show a complex interplay between different types of self-efficacy and collective efficacy in predicting team sport performance.

Keywords:

• self-efficacy
• mindfulness
• performance
• satisfaction
• sport
• soccer

Funding

The preparation of this paper was supported by the grants NN 106 012240 and NN 106 139537 from the National Science Center.

Notes

1. In Study 1, the experimenters asked the participants to propose an expression which would represent “situations often arising during training or competitions, such as outplaying the opposing team, recovering from mistakes, attacking effectively, keeping possession, remaining motivated throughout, defending effectively, maintaining concentration, forcing mistakes from opponents, and managing emotions.” This list of specific tasks is included in task-related self-efficacy measures (e.g., Allen et al., 2009). The athletes provided the interviewers with the expression “to improve my performance and help my team win.” Therefore, the following stem for measures of self-efficacy referring to social barriers was applied: “I am certain that I am able to improve my performance and help my team win even if … (a social barrier).”

Additional information

Funding

Funding The preparation of this paper was supported by the grants NN 106 012240 and NN 106 139537 from the National Science Center.