This study was based upon the Multidimensional Model of Leadership (Chelladurai, 1978, 1990), and the administration of the Leadership Scale for Sport (LSS) and the Sport Orientation Questionnaire (SOQ) (Gill and Deeter, 1988). The purposes of the study were: 1) To determine the competitive achievement orientations (competitiveness, goal and win) and coaching behavior preferences (training and instruction, democratic, autocratic, social support, and positive feedback) among young male Thai athletes (n=403); and 2) to examine the relationships between competitive orientations and coaching behavior preferences among athletes for two different levels of competition, high and low; two different age groups, from ages 13-15 and 16-18; and two types of sports, team and individual. A preliminary MANOVA and ANOVAs indicated that significant age x type interactions contributed to the competitiveness achievement orientation and all coaching behavior preferences. Thai athletes showed the highest score for goal orientation, followed by competitiveness and win orientations. They preferred training and instruction, and social support coaching behaviors over democratic and positive feedback coaching behaviors. Autocratic coaching behavior was least preferred. Results of the ANOVAs indicated significant group differences in competitiveness orientation variables and all coaching behavior variables. Multivariate multiple regression demonstrated significant relationships between competitive achievement orientations and coaching behavior preferences. Canonical correlation analyses of the four age x type interaction groups were utilized, indicating bidirectional relationships between all of the competitive achievement orientations, and all of the coaching behavior preferences for older athletes who participated in either team sports or individual sports. The younger individual sport athletes presented a relationship between training and instruction, democratic and social support coaching behavior preferences and all competitive achievement orientations, whereas younger team sport athletes showed no relationship. This finding indicated a stronger influenced of coaching behavior preferences on younger individual sport athletes' competitive achievement orientations. / Graduation date: 1993

While many studies have examined the effects of mental training programs on anxiety and concentration as they pertain to performance, none have examined the effects simultaneously as they relate to performance. Few studies have examined mental training programs, especially individualized mental imagery scripts, as they relate to the athlete's attentional profile and level of trait anxiety. The purpose of this study was to determine if a mental training program alters attentional profiles and trait anxiety. Additionally, this study determined if a mental training program had a transfer effect on performance. The following null hypotheses were examined: 1) There would not be a significant difference in attentional profiles before or after a mental training program; 2) there would not be a significant difference in trait anxiety scores before or after a mental training program; 3) there would not be a significant difference in an athlete's performance before or after a mental training program. The subjects (N = 20) in this study were comprised of Ball State University Women's Softball members. The age range of the subjects was between 18 and 23. The instruments used in this study were the Test of Attentional and Interpersonal Styles Self-Assessment (TAIS-SA) (Nideffer, 1980) for attentional styles and the Sport Competition Anxiety Test (SCAT) (Martens, 1977) for competitive traitanxiety. Batting performance was recorded by the investigator as the subjects took batting practice (from a pitching machine) during the normal course of practice. Each subject was given a log sheet and was asked to keep a record of the number of times she used the mental training program per week. This study was a pretest, posttest design, and dependent t-tests (p < .05) were calculated for the six subscales of the TAIS, the SCAT, and performance. There was a statistically significant difference from the pretest to the posttest on the levels of anxiety as measured by the SCAT and on hitting performance. While all scores on the six subscales of the TAIS-SA changed, they were not statistically significant. / School of Physical Education

The primary purpose of this study was to examine the relationship among levels of trait and state anxiety, self-confidence, arousal and performance of athletes throughout a competition. A secondary purpose was to examine the usefulness of a variety of instruments used to obtain levels of anxiety, self-confidence, arousal, and performance. Trait anxiety was measured by the Sport Competition Anxiety Test (SCAT) (Martens, 1990) and levels of state anxiety and selfconfidence were measured using the Competitive State Anxiety Inventory-2 (CSAI-2) (Martens, 1990). Pre-game and game arousal levels were distinguished by monitoring heart rates via heart rate monitors. Performance of each athlete was evaluated by the head coach. An overall rating or score was determined through the use of a Performance Rating Inventory which was developed specifically for this study.Thirteen members of the Ball State Field Hockey Team, ranging in ages from 18-22 years, agreed to participate in this study. Data was collected for 19 competitions from their regular season schedule. The SCAT was administered to the athletes in a non-competitive environment_ to determine trait anxiety levels. Levels of state anxiety (cognitive and somatic), self-confidence, arousal, and performance were obtained for every competition played.Pearson Product-Moment Correlation was used to determine the relationship among levels of trait and state anxiety and arousal to playing performance. Overall, there was no statistically significant relationships found among these levels. A follow-up analysis examined the data by the three most competitive and three least competitive games of the season. Group means were graphed according to pre-game and game arousal and no significant difference was shown between the two levels of competitiveness. Group means of the three subscales of the CSAI-2 (cognitive, somatic and self-confidence) were also graphed. Cognitive and somatic state anxiety levels were at its highest and self-confidence was at its lowest for the more competitive games and cognitive and somatic state anxiety were at its lowest and self-confidence was at its highest for the least competitive games. As a result of these findings, physiologically the athletes approached both types of games similarly. The difference was in the mental approach which ultimately could of been the difference in a win or a loss. / School of Physical Education

This study explored the way women and men achieved and competed in an academic environment. Because of a lack in the literature of a conceptual framework from which to guide an investigation of achievement in the academic domain, an additional purpose of this study was to develop a grounded or data-derived theory of women's and men's achievement striving based upon their self-reported experiences. Results of this study demonstrated that both women and men achieve and that women and men appeared more similar than different in their achievement endeavors. Additionally, the results demonstrated a remarkable degree of variability among participants, suggesting that the desire to achieve is a highly individualistic phenomenon in which gender is only one possible variable that affects how individuals compete and cooperate. Closely associated with this high degree of variability was the observation that participants' perceptions, evaluations, and beliefs about achievement were often associated with situational variables. These situational variables (e.g., different contexts, importance of particular goals, relationship factors, type of preferred competition) had a mediating effect on whether or not participants competed or how they chose to compete. The results suggested that some women and men differed from one another in how they chose to compete according to various situational variables. These three interactive data-generated, theoretical elements (i.e., both women and men compete, achievement involved a high degree of variability, achievement was mediated by situational variables) combined to form a grounded theory known as the Expectancy Theory of Women's and Men's Achievement Striving. This theory suggests that women and men have a great deal in common with one another when striving to achieve, but that there may be some gender differences based upon the expectations about the process of achieving in the world of work. Some of these expectations in which women and men appeared to differ includedwomen's notion that other women were more difficult to compete with than were men. Also, men discussed the expectation that the world was a competitive place and was only going to get more competitive. Finally, both women and men expected that they world achieve the goal of having careers and families in the future, but men expected that they would achieve these goal shortly after they graduated while women expected that they would have to choose between which of these two goal they wanted first (family or career). / Department of Counseling Psychology and Guidance Services

Thesis (M.A.)--University of Alabama at Birmingham, 2008. / Additional advisors: David Basilico, Eduardo Neiva, Cynthia Ryan. Description based on contents viewed June 3, 2008; title from title screen. Includes bibliographical references (p. 111-116).

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Psychology, Georgia Institute of Technology, 2009. / Committee Chair: Fredda Blanchard-Fields; Committee Member: Ann Bostrom; Committee Member: Christopher Hertzog; Committee Member: Jack Feldman; Committee Member: Paul Corballis

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 1999. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 103-110). Also available on the Internet.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 1999. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 103-110). Also available on the Internet.

Habilitation - Kirchliche Hochschule, Wuppertal, 2006. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 345-367).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2004. / Supervisors: Elaine K. Horwitz and Lisa S. Goldstein. Vita. Includes bibliographical references.