Empathy in Coaches and Its Influence on Athletes (Interpersonal Skills, Social Support)
Bump, Linda Anne
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Permalink
https://hdl.handle.net/2142/71884
Description
Title
Empathy in Coaches and Its Influence on Athletes (Interpersonal Skills, Social Support)
Author(s)
Bump, Linda Anne
Issue Date
1986
Department of Study
Physical Education
Discipline
Physical Education
Degree Granting Institution
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Degree Name
Ph.D.
Degree Level
Dissertation
Keyword(s)
Education, Physical
Abstract
In recent years much attention has been paid to the training athletes receive in psychological skills. Little, however, has been done to address those same skills in coaches. One such skill is empathy or the ability to take another person's perspective without losing one's own perspective. Unfortunately, no conceptual framework under which to conduct such an investigation exists. It was the purpose of this investigation to study the interrelationship of empathy in coaches with the social support, satisfaction, and performance of athletes on their teams. Additionally, this study proposed a model of empathetic mediation to guide other such investigations.
Empathy in coaches was measured using different instruments: Trait empathy was measured using the Davis (1980, 1983) Interpersonal Reactivity Index; state empathy--accuracy was measured by comparing coach predictions with athlete responses on Martens' (1977) Sport Competition Anxiety Test; and, perceived empathy was measured using Barrett-Lennard's (1962) Relationship Inventory. Scores on these tests of empathy were examined in relation to social support, satisfaction, and performance levels of basketball teams associated with the coaches. Female head coaches of 22 high school girls' basketball teams consented to actively participate in this investigation. Additionally, four coaches agreed to participate in case studies to further delineate the interpersonal processes.
Results indicated the existence of a positive relationship among perceived empathy, social support, satisfaction with performance and participation, and perceived performance levels. Additionally, the proposed model was supported with some modification. The modifications included greater emphasis upon assessing nonverbal communication and basing more analyses on perceived empathy rather than accurate empathy.
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