Predictors of perfectionistic tendencies in sport among undergraduate kinesiology students

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study was to examine the athletic identity, identity foreclosure, perceived task value in sport, and perfectionism of kinesiology students with high school and college sport experience. Participants completed an online survey that included items regarding demographic information, athletic identity ego identity, perceived task value in sport, and sport perfectionism. Pearson moment correlations indicated that higher athletic identity was associated with higher subjective task value, identity foreclosure, perfectionistic strivings, and perfectionistic concerns. Multiple regression analyses revealed that athletic identity and subjective task value were significant predictors of perfectionistic strivings and that athletic identity and identity foreclosure were significant predictors of perfectionistic concerns. Future research should replicate the study with participants from different ethnicities and geographical regions using longitudinal and qualitative methods to examine the development of subjective task value in sport.

KEYWORDS:

• Athletic identity
• identity foreclosure
• perceived task value
• perfectionism
• perfectionistic strivings
• perfectionistic concerns
• kinesiology students
• maladaptive behaviors
• healthy behaviors

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Scott B. Martin

Scott B. Martin, FACSM, FAASP is a professor of sport, exercise, and performance psychology at the University of North Texas. His research examines mental training skills and services, psychological wellbeing and health-related fitness, and leadership effectiveness. In addition, his scholarly work focuses on scale development, instrument validation, and therapeutic outcome measures.