Jean-Philippe Heuzé

Relationships between cohesion, collective efficacy and performance in professional basketball teams: an examination of mediating effects.

Abstract The main aim of this study was to examine mediating effects in the relationships between cohesion, collective efficacy and performance in professional basketball teams. A secondary aim was to examine the correlates of collective efficacy in a professional sport. A total of 154 French and foreign professional players completed French or English versions of questionnaires about cohesion and collective efficacy. Two composite measures of individual performance were used (pre- and post-performance). Individual-level analyses were performed. Regression analyses supported two mediating relationships with collective efficacy as a mediator of the pre-performance – Group integration-task relationship, and Group integration-task as a mediator of the pre-performance – collective efficacy relationship. Statistical analyses indicated that neither Group integration-task nor collective efficacy was a better mediator in the relationship between pre-performance and the other group variables. Results also revealed positive relationships between three dimensions of cohesion (i.e. Individual attractions to the group-task, Group integration-task, Group integration-social) and collective efficacy. These findings suggest that in professional basketball teams, staff members should look after athletes who perform at a lower or below their usual level because their performances might lead them into a downward cohesion – collective efficacy spiral. Staff members should also develop a high quality of group functioning, both on and off the basketball court, given its relationship with collective efficacy.

Measurement invariance of the Behavioural Regulation in Sport Questionnaire when completed by young athletes across five European countries.

The purpose of this study was (1) to examine the factorial validity of the Behavioural Regulation Sport in Questionnaire (BRSQ) when completed by young soccer players in the Promoting Adolescent Physical Activity (PAPA) project (9-15 years old) in 5 European countries (France: n = 1248, Greece: n = 1507, Norway: n = 1397, Spain: n = 2245, and England: n = 1372) and (2) test the measurement invariance of its latent factors across these 5 countries. First, we tested the exploratory structural equation model (ESEM) factor analyses, allowing cross-loadings between factors, against the traditional independent clusters confirmatory factor analysis model (ICM-CFA), with all cross-loadings constrained to zero. The ESEM showed very Good Fit Indices, whereas the ICM-CFA was not tenable across countries. Second, the ESEM was used as the baseline model for the tests of factor loading (metric) invariance and factor loading plus thresholds (scalar) invariance. The five factors obtained from the analysis were scalar invariant and interpretable across the five countries (languages) as intrinsic motivation, identified, introjected and external regulations, and amotivation, in line with the tenets of self-determination theory). This study contributes to methodological advances in sport psychology, as it is the first time an adaptation of the BRSQ for young participants has been factor analysed comparing the more flexible ESEM to the usual ICM-CFA. Our data clearly favour using the more flexible weak dimensionality model (ESEM) and suggest a fresh interpretation of previous results may be required.

Physical activity and sedentary behaviours among grassroots football players: A comparison across three European countries

The purpose of the present study was to determine and compare the levels of objectively assessed physical activity (PA) and sedentary time (ST) among male players aged 10–14 who participate in grassroots football in three European countries (i.e. England, France, and Greece). In addition, the study also examined the relationship of objective levels of PA to a self-report measure of PA frequency used in the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children survey for young football players. A total of 331 participants provided at least three days of valid accelerometer data and completed a self-report measure of PA. The results revealed that players accumulated 122.33 minutes of moderate- to vigorous PA (MVPA) and 488.19 minutes of ST per day. Multiple analyses of covariance controlling for years of experience in football revealed slightly significant differences between the three countries for light PA, MVPA, and the number of active days defined as meeting the [World Health Organization. (2010). Global recommendations on physical activity for health. Geneva: Author. Retrieved from http://whqlibdoc.who.int/publications/2010/9789241599979_eng.pdf] guidelines of 60 minutes of MVPA per day. English participants spent less time in light PA but more time in MVPA than the Greek or French players. Greek participants had more active days than their English and French counterparts. The self-report measure of PA was not significantly associated with objective PA in this sample of male football participants. Findings suggest that young Europeans who play football meet WHO guidelines for MVPA, but their adoption of an active lifestyle might not protect them from ST behaviours.

Coaches’ perceptions of French sports clubs: Health-promotion activities, aims and coach motivation

Background: Given the benefits of participating in sport, sports clubs have been recognised as health-promoting organizations. To examine health-promotion activities in Finnish sports clubs, Kokko et al. developed a set of standards for health-promoting sports clubs (HPSC). Objective: The present study extends this line of research, by (1) measuring coaches’ perceptions of health- promotion activities in French sports clubs and comparing them to earlier Finnish results, (2) measuring coaches’ perceptions of the health-promotion aims of sports clubs and (3) examining the links between HPSC and coaches’ self-determined motivation. Methods: Coaches (N = 125) completed a modified version of the HPSC questionnaire and a scale assessing their motivation to coach. Results: Coaches perceived French and Finnish sports clubs as fairly health promoting, but with wide variability between clubs. In both countries, sports clubs scores showed the same patterns: high scores for ideology and environment activities, and low scores for policies, practices and partnership. Coaches’ perceptions of clubs’ aims also followed the same pattern, but with higher scores for each dimension, meaning that coaches considered health promotion as a relevant aim for sports clubs. Finally, controlling for demographic variables, the HPSC index and sub-indices were related to coaches’ self-determined motivation. Conclusion: This study strengthens the previous findings for health promotion in the setting of sports clubs and the positive role of these activities on coaches’ motivation to coach.

Comparing self-reported leisure-time physical activity, subjective health, and life satisfaction among youth soccer players and adolescents in a reference sample

The aim of the study was to examine to what extent young people who play organised soccer rate their leisure-time moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, life satisfaction, and health more positively and higher than a same-aged population-based reference group (including some adolescents who also played organised soccer). Data from two samples of five countries (England, France, Greece, Norway, and Spain) were included: a sample of soccer players aged 10-14 years who participated in the Promoting Adolescent Physical Activity project [Duda, J.L., Quested, E., Haug, E., Samdal, O., Wold, B., Balaguer, I., …  Cruz, J. (2013). Promoting Adolescent health through an intervention aimed at improving the quality of their participation in Physical Activity (‘PAPA’): background to the project and main trial protocol. International Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology] and a nationally representative reference sample of 11- and 13-year olds from the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children study. Results from multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the participants in the soccer sample, in particular girls, reported a higher level of moderate-to-vigorous leisure-time physical activity than those in the reference sample. They also rated their life satisfaction and subjective health more favourably than the reference sample. The associations did not differ according to age or socio-economic status. The results suggest that playing soccer is a positive activity for youth and seems to be a very potent way of increasing regular moderate-to-vigorous physical activity among girls. Thus, efforts aimed at increasing participation in organised youth soccer may potentially be beneficial to young peoples psychosocial health and hold the potential to increase physical activity, particularly among girls.

Creating a supportive environment among youth football players: A qualitative study of French and Norwegian youth grassroots football coaches

Purpose – The health promoting benefits of sport participation are under-utilized and should be further developed, particularly at the grassroots level. The purpose of this paper is to examine how grassroots coaches in youth football perceive their coaching practices after participating in a community-based coach education program aimed at optimizing their experiences in youth sport, namely the Empowering Coaching™ training program, based on self-determination theory (SDT) and achievement goal theory (AGT). It compares French and Norwegian coaches to suggest whether the principles of the Empowering Coaching™ training program can be applied successfully in the two countries. Design/methodology/approach – The Empowering Coaching™ training program is a six hour workshop and was delivered at the beginning of the 2011 football season. At the end of the season, the grassroots coaches’ reflections on their coaching practices were examined through a qualitative approach with in-depth interviews of 18 coaches in F...

Emergence and evolution of informal roles during a canoe expedition

ABSTRACT This exploratory study was conducted to illuminate aspects relevant to the emergence and evolution of informal roles in a group during a canoe expedition. Following tenets of ethnography, the first author collected observational and interview (conversational and focus group) data while participating as a member of the expedition. Three general dimensions were revealed with regards to emerging and evolving informal roles: context aspects; role occupant aspects; and group member aspects. Informal roles were found to be important structural components which contributed to group productivity and harmony. Findings are discussed in relation to the broader literature while questions are raised regarding how informal roles have been conceptualized. Implications include considering how informal roles relate to individual (e.g. satisfaction) and group (e.g. cohesion) level constructs and how outdoor leaders may benefit from understanding how informal roles emerge and evolve.

Social loafing in a competitive context

Abstract The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of inter‐group competition on social loafing. Male students (n = 50) in the Faculty of Sport Sciences at the University of Reims volunteered to participate (average age 20.18 ± 1.25 years). All were athletes at regional or national levels. The methodological design consisted of four experimental groups and one control group. Individual performances were compared in individual versus group conditions. During a first session, participants carried out dart throwing in the individual condition. During a second session, one of the four experimental groups was equivalent to a group condition without inter‐group competition, whereas the three others competed against fictitious opponents which had same or different levels of group performance. Prior to the second throwing session, members of the three experimental groups were individually asked to assess their team score as well as that of their opponent. Results showed a significant increase in individual performance when participants competed against an opponent with same performance level. However, a significant decrease in individual performances appeared when the participants performed against a much stronger opponent. Moreover, the participants who estimated a success of their team increased their performance significantly during the second session whereas those who projected defeat for their team decreased their performance significantly. This study shows that the competitive context and expectations for group outcomes have an impact on social loafing.