The Relationship Between Parental Regard and Youth Athlete Performance and Contingency of Self-Worth

Youth athletic participation is important for the socioemotional development of children, such as lowering the risk of antisocial behaviors, increasing prosocial behaviors, improving physical and mental health, and lowering the risk of obesity. The purpose of this quantitative, correlational study was to explore the relationship between the youth athletes’ perception of how their parents regarded them and their self-worth and perception of their athletic performance, which was explored from the perception of the former youth athlete. The variables were operationalized by utilizing the following instruments: the Parental Conditional Positive Regard Scale (PCPRS), the satisfaction of sporting experience using Turman’s (2006) Athlete Satisfaction (TAS), and the contingent self-worth using four subscales from the Contingencies of Self-Worth Scale (CSS)-- competence (revised version), competition, family support, and approval from others to determine if there is a relationship between these three variables. An online survey was used to measure these variables and participants submitted them anonymously. Participants were 18 years and older, had participated in youth athletics/sports, and currently participated in silent sports. A Spearman’s Correlation was conducted to evaluate whether there was a relationship between the variables. There was a significant positive relationship between parental regard and contingency of self-worth and a moderately positive relationship between parental regard and youth athlete evaluation (satisfaction). When parental positive conditional regard increased, contingency of self-worth, and satisfaction increased as well, showing that there is a relationship between these variables. By understanding that parental regard does have an impact on a child’s self-worth, and their satisfaction with their sporting experience we can began to further study why and how these variables impact each other. This can then be applied to future youth athletic programs, parenting classes, and other programs that utilize adult mentorship to help foster environments where children can develop a healthy sense of self-worth and enjoy their experiences.