Longitudinal study of preadolescent sport self-concept and performance: reciprocal effects and causal ordering

From Participation to Consumption: The Role of Self-Concept in Creating Shared Values Among Sport Consumers

Introduction

The contribution of sport organizations to solving social issues has been acknowledged. However, little is known about how sport organizations can turn social issues into business opportunities as a means of creating shared value (CSV). Building on self-concept theory, a framework was established to examine how sport organizations can promote sport participation and simultaneously drive sport consumption-as a means of CSV-by enhancing consumers' sport self-concept.

Methods

A total of 311 participants recruited from a CSV program delivered by a sport organization completed a time-lagged survey. Structural equation modeling was performed with Mplus 8.3 to test the framework.

Results

The results revealed that consumers' sport self-concept was enhanced by their perceptions of sincere interest from employees of the sport organization, while effect of their perceptions of praising was insignificant. Sport self-concept has a positive association with their levels of sport participation and simultaneously influences their intention to purchase the sport organization's products due to self-congruity.

Discussion

This study contributes to CSV literature by demonstrating the role of sport self-concept in CSV in a sport setting. Our findings suggest that sport organizations might focus on strengthening consumers' sport self-concept to create both social and economic value through their CSV.

Children's Physical Self-Concept, Motivation, and Physical Performance: Does Physical Self-Concept or Motivation Play a Mediating Role?

The present study aimed to examine the relations between physical self-concept, intrinsic and extrinsic motivation as well as physical performance of 1,082 children aged 7-8 years. The central objective of this study was to contrast a mediation model assuming physical self-concept as a mediator of the relations between both types of motivation and physical performance to a mediation model assuming both types of motivation as mediators of the relations between physical self-concept and physical performance. Physical self-concept and both types of motivation were measured by using self-reported questionnaires, while physical performance was measured with 10 motor skill tests. All tests were carried out during regular school hours (8-12 A.M.) by qualified test personnel. Beyond correlation analyses, structural equation modeling (SEM) was performed to find evidence for the predictive relations between the variables under study. Results showed that physical self-concept was significantly positively related to both types of motivation and physical performance (all p < 0.001). In contrast, results of SEM revealed that only physical self-concept (p < 0.001) and intrinsic motivation (p < 0.05) were significantly positively linked to physical performance. Furthermore, physical self-concept proved to significantly mediate the relations of both types of motivation to physical performance (p < 0.001), while only intrinsic motivation, but not extrinsic motivation, proved to significantly mediate the relation between physical self-concept and physical performance (p < 0.05). These results suggest that school-based or extracurricular interventions targeted at improving younger children's physical performance only by means of an increased level of physical activity or by external factors without supporting children's physical self-concept and intrinsic motivation may have less or no effects on their physical performance.

A stronger latent‐variable methodology to actual–ideal discrepancy

We introduce a latent actual–ideal discrepancy (LAID) approach based on structural equation models (SEMs) with multiple indicators and empirically weighted variables. In Study 1, we demonstrate with simulated data, the superiority of a weighted approach to discrepancy in comparison to a classic unweighted one. In Study 2, we evaluate the effects of actual and ideal appearance on physical self‐concept and self‐esteem. Actual appearance contributes positively to physical self‐concept and self‐esteem, whereas ideal appearance contributes negatively. In support of multidimensional perspective, actual‐ and ideal‐appearance effects on self‐esteem are substantially—but not completely—mediated by physical self‐concept. Whereas this pattern of results generalises across gender and age, multiple‐group invariance tests show that the effect of actual appearance on physical self‐concept is larger for women than for men. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The relationship between sport commitment and physical self-concept: Evidence for the self-enhancement hypothesis among adolescent females

Perceptions of physical self-concept are critical to physical activity participation. In line with the reciprocal effects model of causal ordering (REM), higher perceptions of physical self-concept can function as a facilitator to physical activity, and can arise as a result of engaging in physical activity. While this relationship has been predominantly tested in physical activity contexts, directional tests between physical self-concept and sport specific outcomes are limited. The current study aimed to evaluate the generalizability of the REM to sport commitment and physical self-concept in youth athletes. Over 24 months, adolescent females (N = 215) completed self-report questionnaires at Time 1 (T1) and two years later (Time 2; T2). Using structural equation modeling, the reciprocal effects model demonstrated that the path leading from T1 physical self-concept to T2 sport commitment was significant (p = .02), whereas the path leading from T1 sport commitment to T2 physical self-concept was not significant (p = .23). The results suggest a unidirectional relationship and may underscore the importance of focusing on the physical self-concept in the development of strategies geared towards improving adolescent female's sport participation.

Transition to middle school: Self-concept changes

Self-concept influences identity and the way that people behave, and it fluctuates over time. The main purpose of this study was to analyze fluctuations in the dimensions of self-concept as a function of gender, educational level, grade, age, physical activity, and weight. In total, 712 Spanish adolescents who were in the 5^th and 8^th grades (354 boys and 358 girls) and 10 to 14 years old (M = 11.9; SD = 1.3) participated in this study. The Self-Concept Questionnaire, Form 5 was used to analyze several dimensions of self-concept (academic, social, emotional, family, and physical), using the average scores in each dimension. The data showed strong differences in the dimensions of self-concept during the school transition. Middle-school students, compared to elementary-school students, showed significantly lower levels in almost all dimensions (academic, social, family, and physical). Furthermore, student age was a negative predictor of the social and academic dimensions, explaining 33% and 37% of the variance, respectively. Educational level and grade were smaller factors influencing the academic dimension (explaining 29% and 25% of the variance, respectively). The main findings revealed that the school transition and, specifically, increased age were associated with a lower self-concept. These results help us understand the need to strengthen psychological and educational self-concept at school.

Pictorial Scale of Physical Self-Concept for Younger Children (P-PSC-C): A Feasibility Study

Children’s self-perception of motor skills and physical fitness is said to be an important mediator between skills and physical fitness on the one hand and physical activity on the other hand. An age-appropriate self-perception scale is needed to understand the development and the differentiation of the physical self-concept of children and its components. Therefore, the objectives of this study were (1) to develop a pictorial scale of physical fitness for pre-school children (3–6 years old), and (2) to describe the face validity and feasibility of the scale. The study sample included 27 kindergarten children. In order to determine the psychometric properties, validity was assessed by administrating the Pictorial Scale for Physical Self-Concept in Kindergarten Children (P-PSC-C) compared with children’s fundamental movement skill competency (Test of Gross Motor Development [TGMD]-3; six locomotor and seven object-control skills), height, weight, and demographics. The face validity was favorable. Expectable negatively skewed response distributions were found in all items. Medium correlations with related constructs and with sport enjoyment were found. The results indicate that the new scale is usable for kindergarten children. Future validation studies are needed so that the new scale can contribute to the research about physical self-concept development in kindergarten children.

Überprüfung der Reliabilität und Validität der Kurzform des Physical Self-Description Questionnaire (PSDQ-S) in den Altersgruppen des frühen und späten Erwachsenenalters

Zusammenfassung. Mit dem Physical Self-Description Questionnaire Short (PSDQ-S) von Marsh, Martin und Jackson (2010) liegt eine auf 40 Items gekürzte validierte Version des Physical Self-Description Questionnaire von Marsh, Richards, Johnson, Roche und Tremayne (1994) vor, die bereits in mehrere Sprachen übersetzt ist. Die vorliegende Studie evaluierte den deutschsprachigen PSDQ-S anhand von 402 Probanden im frühen und späten Erwachsenenalter. Im Ergebnis lassen die Analyse der Reliabilität und Validität sowie der Vergleich mit den Befunden von Marsh et al. (2010) , Stiller und Alfermann (2007) sowie weiterer übersetzter und validierter PSDQ-S-Versionen die Verwendung der deutschsprachigen Kurzform empfehlen. Ebenso wie die Originalversion ist sie für männliche und weibliche Personen, sowie für die Altersgruppen des frühen und späten Erwachsenenalters geeignet. Für alle vier Gruppen besteht eine äquivalente Faktorstruktur.

Self-Concept Predicts Academic Achievement Across Levels of the Achievement Distribution: Domain Specificity for Math and Reading

This study examines whether self-concept of ability in math and reading predicts later math and reading attainment across different levels of achievement. Data from three large-scale longitudinal data sets, the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development-Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development, and Panel Study of Income Dynamics-Child Development Supplement, were used to answer this question by employing quantile regression analyses. After controlling for demographic variables, child characteristics, and early ability, the findings indicate that self-concept of ability in math and reading predicts later achievement in each respective domain across all quantile levels of achievement. These results were replicated across the three data sets representing different populations and provide robust evidence for the role of self-concept of ability in understanding achievement from early childhood to adolescence across the spectrum of performance (low to high).

Longitudinal relationships between self-concept for physical activity and neighborhood social life as predictors of physical activity among older African American adults

Background

Engaging in regular physical activity (PA) as an older adult has been associated with numerous physical and mental health benefits. The aim of this study is to directly compare how individual-level cognitive factors (self-efficacy for PA, self-determined motivation for PA, self-concept for PA) and neighborhood perceptions of the social factors (neighborhood satisfaction, neighborhood social life) impact moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) longitudinally among older African American adults.

Methods

Data were analyzed from a sub-set of older African American adults (N = 224, M_age = 63.23 years, SD = 8.74, 63.23% female, M_{Body Mass Index} = 32.01, SD = 7.52) enrolled in the Positive Action for Today’s Health trial. MVPA was assessed using 7-day accelerometry-estimates and psychosocial data (self-efficacy for PA, self-determined motivation for PA, self-concept for PA, neighborhood satisfaction, neighborhood social life) were collected at baseline, 12-, 18-, and 24-months.

Results

Multilevel growth modeling was used to examine within- and between-person effects of individual-level cognitive and social environmental factors on MVPA. At the between-person level, self-concept (b = 0.872, SE = 0.239, p < 0.001), and neighborhood social life (b = 0.826, SE = 0.176, p < 0.001) predicted greater MVPA, whereas neighborhood satisfaction predicted lower MVPA (b = −0.422, SE = 0.172, p = 0.015). Among the between-person effects, only average social life was moderated by time (b = 0.361, SE = 0.147, p = 0.014), indicating that the impact of a relatively positive social life on MVPA increased across time. At the within-person level, positive increases in self-concept (b = 0.294, SE = 0.145, p = 0.043) and neighborhood social life (b = 0.270, SE = 0.113, p = 0.017) were associated with increased MVPA.

Conclusions

These results suggest that people with a higher average self-concept for PA and a more positive social life engaged in greater average MVPA. Additionally, changes in perceptions of one’s neighborhood social life and one’s self-concept for PA were associated with greater MVPA over 2 years. These factors may be particularly relevant for future interventions targeting long-term change and maintenance of MVPA in older African Americans.

Trial registration

ClinicalTrials.Gov #NCT01025726 registered 1 December 2009.

Changes in the Relation Between Competence Beliefs and Achievement in Math Across Elementary School Years

Math competence beliefs and achievement are important outcomes of school-based learning. Previous studies yielded inconsistent results on whether skill development, self-enhancement, or reciprocal effects account for the interplay among them. A development-related change in the direction of their relation in the early school years might explain the inconsistency. To test this, 542 German elementary school students (M = 7.95 years, SD = 0.58) were repeatedly investigated over 24 months from Grade 2 to Grade 4. Math competence beliefs declined and had a growing influence on subsequent math grades. This suggests changes in the dominant direction of the relation from a skill development to a reciprocal effects model during elementary school. Findings are discussed with regard to their theoretical and practical implications.

The Lifespan Self-Esteem Scale: Initial Validation of a New Measure of Global Self-Esteem

This article introduces the Lifespan Self-Esteem Scale (LSE), a short measure of global self-esteem suitable for populations drawn from across the lifespan. Many existing measures of global self-esteem cannot be used across multiple developmental periods due to changes in item content, response formats, and other scale characteristics. This creates a need for a new lifespan scale so that changes in global self-esteem over time can be studied without confounding maturational changes with alterations in the measure. The LSE is a 4-item measure with a 5-point response format using items inspired by established self-esteem scales. The scale is essentially unidimensional and internally consistent, and it converges with existing self-esteem measures across ages 5 to 93 (N = 2,714). Thus, the LSE appears to be a useful measure of global self-esteem suitable for use across the lifespan as well as contexts where a short measure is desirable, such as populations with short attention spans or large projects assessing multiple constructs. Moreover, the LSE is one of the first global self-esteem scales to be validated for children younger than age 8, which provides the opportunity to broaden the field to include research on early formation and development of global self-esteem, an area that has previously been limited.

Does Physical Self-Concept Mediate the Relationship between Motor Abilities and Physical Activity in Adolescents and Young Adults?

The purpose of this study is to examine the reciprocal relationship between motor abilities and physical activity and the mediation effects of physical self-concept in this relationship using longitudinal data. We expect that the effects of motor abilities on physical activity are rather indirect via physical self-concept and that the effects of physical activity on motor abilities are rather direct without involvement of the motor ability self-concept. Data was obtained from the Motorik-Modul (MoMo) Longitudinal Study in which 335 boys and 363 girls aged 11–17 years old at Baseline were examined twice in a period of six years. Physical activity was assessed by the MoMo Physical Activity Questionnaire for adolescents, physical self-concept by Physical Self-Description Questionnaire and motor abilities by MoMo Motor Test which comprised of the dimensions strength, endurance, coordination and flexibility. Multiple regression analyses were used to analyse the direct and indirect effects. The results of the multiple regression analyses show that the effects of motor abilities on physical activity were only indirect for the dimensions strength, coordination, and flexibility. For the dimension endurance, neither direct nor indirect effects were significant. In the opposite direction, the effects of physical activity on motor abilities were partially mediated by the self-concept of strength. For the dimensions endurance, coordination and flexibility, only indirect were significant. The results of this study support the assumption that the relationship between motor abilities and physical activity is mediated by physical self-concept in both directions. Physical self-concept seems to be an important determinant of adolescents´ physical activity.

Youth participation in organized and informal sports activities across childhood and adolescence: exploring the relationships of motivational beliefs, developmental stage and gender

Involvement in physically active pursuits, such as sports, contributes to achieving and maintaining good emotional and physical health. The central goal of this article was to examine the longitudinal relationships between participation (i.e., time spent in the activities) in organized and informal sports contexts and motivational beliefs, and factors that might impact these relationships, such as developmental stage and gender. The data for the current study were drawn from the childhood and beyond longitudinal study, which utilized a cohort sequential design with data collected on three cohorts across four waves. The current study sample included 986 European American youth (51 % female), who t were mostly from working- and middle-class families. Self-report questionnaires were used to collect data from the youth about their participation in sports and their motivational beliefs (i.e., value and perceptions of competence) about this activity. Structural equation modeling was used to examine the relationships between participation and motivational beliefs across childhood and adolescence. The results provide some support for a model of reciprocal relationships between participation and motivational beliefs in organized and informal sports activities. These relationships between participation and motivational beliefs did not vary significantly based on developmental stage or by gender. Overall, the findings suggest that participation in organized and informal sports contexts may be fostered by supporting the development of positive motivational beliefs about the activities across developmental periods.

Physical self-concept and disturbed eating attitudes and behaviors in French athlete and non-athlete adolescent girls: direct and indirect relations

This study aims to investigate the direct and indirect associations between physical self-subdomains, physical self-worth, global self-worth, and disturbed eating attitudes and behaviors among French non-elite athlete and non-athlete adolescent girls. A sample of adolescent girls including 50 ballet dancers, 41 basketball players, and 47 non-athletes was used in this study. Data obtained from the ballet dancer and basketball player subsamples revealed significant, sample-specific as well as common, direct relations between global and physical self-perceptions and disturbed eating attitudes and behaviors, as well as significant indirect relations (via global self-worth and physical self-worth) between specific physical self-perceptions and disturbed eating attitudes and behaviors. In contrast, no association was found between global and physical self-perceptions in the sample of non-athlete adolescent girls.

Academic self-concept and academic achievement: relations and causal ordering

BACKGROUND. A positive self-concept is valued as a desirable outcome in many disciplines of psychology as well as an important mediator to other outcomes. AIMS. The present review examines support for the reciprocal effects model (REM) that posits academic self-concept (ASC) and achievement are mutually reinforcing, each leading to gains in the other - and its extension to other achievement domains. METHOD. We review theoretical, methodological, and empirical support for the REM. Critical features in this research are a theoretical emphasis on multidimensional perspectives that focus on specific components of self-concept and a methodological focus on a construct validity approach to evaluating the REM. RESULTS. Consistent with these distinctions, REM research and a comprehensive meta-analysis show that prior ASC has direct and indirect effects on subsequent achievement, whilst the effects of self-esteem and other non-academic components of self-concept are negligible. We then provide an overview of subsequent support for the generality of the REM for: young children, cross-cultural, health (physical activity), and non-elite (gymnastics) and elite (international swimming championships) sport. CONCLUSION. This research is important in demonstrating that increases in ASC lead to increases in subsequent academic achievement and other desirable educational outcomes. Findings confirm that not only is self-concept an important outcome variable in itself, it also plays a central role in affecting other desirable educational outcomes. Implications for educational practice are discussed.

Predictors of student defenders of peer aggression victims: Empathy and social cognitive factors

Despite wide recognition of the important role of student bystanders in influencing peer aggression in schools, little is currently known about what influences students to intervene in defense of peer aggression victims. This longitudinal study involving 1,167 primarily white adolescents (aged 12—15 years, 613 females) investigated the role of social cognitive factors and empathy as predictors of students defending victims of peer aggression. High levels of collective efficacy beliefs in the ability of students and teachers to work together to stop peer aggression were associated with higher frequency of defending behavior over time. For girls, empathy was also associated with defending over time.

Individual and collective social cognitive influences on peer aggression: exploring the contribution of aggression efficacy, moral disengagement, and collective efficacy

This follow-up study with 1,167 primarily White adolescents (aged 13.45 years at T1, 613 females) examined the impact of self-efficacy for aggression, moral disengagement, and collective efficacy beliefs on peer aggression in schools. Students completed questionnaire measures at the beginning and end of the school year (8 months apart). High aggression efficacy and moral disengagement scores predicted higher frequency of peer aggression over time. Low collective efficacy beliefs regarding the ability of students and teachers to collaboratively act to inhibit peer aggression were also associated with more frequent aggression, although this association was stronger at higher levels of moral disengagement. The findings of this study highlight the need to consider collective efficacy beliefs in conjunction with individual social cognitive processes when seeking to explain aggressive behavior.

Unterschiede im physischen Selbstkonzept bei normalgewichtigen und adipösen Personen

Zusammenfassung. Der vorliegende Beitrag befasst sich mit Besonderheiten des physischen Selbstkonzepts von Personen mit Adipositas. Theoretische Grundlage bildet dabei das Modell zum Selbstkonzept von Shavelson, Hubner und Stanton, (1976) , das für Modelle zum physischen Selbstkonzept übernommen und weiterentwickelt wurde. Der auf Basis dieser Modelle entwickelte Physical Self Description Questionnaire (PSDQ; Marsh, Richards, Johnson, Roche & Tremayne, 1994 ) wird dabei als Messinstrument verwendet. Im ersten Teil der Studie werden zum einen Besonderheiten des physischen Selbstkonzepts adipöser Personen verglichen mit normalgewichtigen Kontrollprobanden und zum anderen wird die Bedeutung sportlicher Aktivität für das Selbstkonzept adipöser Personen untersucht. Der zweite Teil der Studie beschäftigt sich mit der Erklärung des globalen physischen Selbstwerts durch verschiedene Komponenten des physischen Selbstkonzepts bei adipösen und normalgewichtigen Probanden. Die Ergebnisse deuten daraufhin, dass sich das physische Selbstkonzept adipöser Personen in verschiedener Hinsicht von dem Normalgewichtiger unterscheidet. Abschließend erfolgt die Ableitung von Implikationen, die sich aus diesen Ergebnissen für Forschung und Praxis ergeben.

Participating in sport and music activities in adolescence: the role of activity participation and motivational beliefs during elementary school

This investigation examined the precursors of adolescents' participation in sport and music activities in the United States by testing a developmental model across 7 years. Data were drawn from youth questionnaires in the Childhood and Beyond Study (92% European American; N = 594). Findings suggest that patterns of participation across a 3-year period in elementary school predict adolescents' participation through their motivational beliefs. Specifically, children who participated in an activity, children who participated consistently across multiple years, and children who were highly active had higher adolescent motivational beliefs 4 years later than their peers. These motivational beliefs, in turn, positively predicted adolescents' participation 1 year later. Cross-domain analyses suggest that children typically maintain their orientation toward sports and music (e.g., high music-low sport orientation, not oriented toward either domain) as they age. These findings highlight the consistency in children's leisure pursuits and interests from childhood through adolescence.

Motorische Entwicklung vom frühen Kindes- bis zum frühen Erwachsenenalter im Kontext der Persönlichkeitsentwicklung

Zusammenfassung. Die Entwicklung von motorischen Leistungen und des motorischen Selbstkonzepts wurde in einer Längsschnittstichprobe (N = 146) vom Kindergartenalter bis ins frühe Erwachsenenalter im breiteren Kontext der Persönlichkeitsentwicklung untersucht. Im Kindergartenalter fanden sich positive Beziehungen der getesteten motorischen Leistungen nicht nur zu Intelligenz, sondern unabhängig davon auch zu sozialer Ungehemmtheit und (nur bei Jungen) zu niedriger Aggressivität. Das motorische Selbstkonzept zeigte eine geringere Stabilität als die motorischen Leistungen, vor allem bei Mädchen. Signifikante Einflüsse des motorischen Selbstkonzepts auf die motorischen Leistungen konnten nicht gefunden werden, was den Skill-Development Ansatz unterstützt. Außer den motorischen Leistungen beeinflusste auch das allgemeine Selbstwertgefühl in der Kindheit das motorische Selbstkonzept, insbesondere bei Mädchen. Einflüsse der sozial-emotionalen Persönlichkeit auf die motorischen Testleistungen waren bis zum jungen Erwachsenenalter nachweisbar. Wir können die motorische Entwicklung besser verstehen, wenn wir sie im Kontext der gesamten Persönlichkeitsentwicklung betrachten.