Necesidades psicológicas básicas en deportistas de alto nivel según género y edad

Introduction and Objective. The present study aimed to evaluate the influence of age and gender on the basic psychological needs of athletes. Methodology. The sample consisted of 327 athletes from 18 sports disciplines. Statistical analyses such as ANOVA, Student's t-test, and Mann-Whitney U test, as well as discriminant analysis and a two-factor univariate linear model were applied to examine the combined effects of age and gender. Results. The results showed that younger athletes present higher levels of motivation, while men obtain higher scores in arousal and self-confidence. As athletes gain more experience, the differences between men and women tend to narrow, particularly in the variables of arousal and concentration. Conclusions. Identifying the influence of psychosocial and internal variables on the mental abilities of athletes is essential for coaches, physical trainers and psychologists to design more effective intervention programs tailored to the gender and age of athletes.