The Role of Personality Traits and Gender in Sports Coaching Preferences

This study aims to examine the relationship between the personality traits and genders of students from the Faculty of Sports Sciences at Inonu University and their preferences for sports coaching. Based on a relational survey model, the study involved 243 participants, consisting of 141 males and 102 females aged between 18 and 24 (Mage = 20.5, SD = 1.7). The personality traits of the participants were assessed using the Five Factor Personality Inventory, while their coaching preferences were evaluated using the Leadership Scale for Sport. The data were analyzed using independent samples t-tests and multiple regression analysis methods. According to the analysis results, gender has shown a significant effect on personality traits. Men scored higher in extraversion and self-discipline, whereas women were found to excel in agreeableness, neuroticism, and openness to experience. Additionally, the examination of coaching preferences revealed that men significantly favored the autocratic coaching style, while women preferred the educational and instructional coaching style. According to analyses of personality traits, the characteristic of openness to experience has a positive effect on the coaching types of education and training, while agreeableness has a positive impact solely on the education and training coaching type. Extraversion has shown a significant and positive effect on the autocratic coaching type. However, no personality traits have had a significant effect on the democratic and rewarding behavioral coaching types. In conclusion, the findings indicate that gender has a significant effect both on personality traits and coaching preferences, while personality traits themselves also play a determinative role in coaching preferences.