Psychological Contracts and Student-Athlete Retention

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the impact that perceived breaches of psychological contracts have on student-athletes’ affective outcomes. Based on a sample of 258 NCAA Division I student-athletes at a large, Midwestern university, the results reveal that coaches and student-athletes do form transactional and relational psychological contracts. Coaches and student-athletes also form psychological contracts related to training obligations. Breaches of psychological contracts related to training obligations were found to have significantly lower student-athletes’ trust in their coaches and affective commitment to their teams. Breaches were also found to increase student-athletes’ intentions to leave their schools.

Keywords:

• retention
• psychological contracts
• coaches
• student-athletes

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Christopher R Barnhill

Christopher R. Barnhill is an assistant professor of sport business management in the John E. Simon School of Business at Maryville University. His primary research interests are in the general area of organizational behavior and intercollegiate athletics. Dr. Barnhill completed his Ph.D. at The Ohio State University in 2011.

W Andrew Czekanski

W. Andrew Czekanski is an assistant professor of sport management in the College of Science at Coastal Carolina University. His primary research interests lie in the general area of organizational behavior and intercollegiate athletics. Dr. Czekanski completed his Ph.D. at The Ohio State University in 2012.

Brian A Turner

Brian A. Turner is an associate professor and the program coordinator for sport management in the College of Education and Human Ecology at The Ohio State University. His primary research interests lie in the general area of organizational behavior. Dr. Turner completed his Ph.D. at The Ohio State University in 2001 and is a co-editor for the Journal of Issues in Intercollegiate Athletics . In 2007, Dr. Turner was named a North American Society for Sport Management (NASSM) Research Fellow.