The effects of rational and irrational coach team talks on the cognitive appraisal and achievement goal orientation of varsity football athletes

Evans, AL; Turner, MJ; Pickering, R; Powditch, R

Abstract

The effects of rational and irrational coach team talks on cognitive appraisal and achievement goal orientation were examined. During the half-time interval of a 60-minute football match, 25 male varsity football athletes (Mage = 20.20; SD ± 1.38 years) received a rational (n = 13) or an irrational (n = 12) team talk from a coach. Irrational and rational beliefs were measured before the football match. Task engagement, cognitive appraisal (challenge and threat), and achievement goal orientation (approach and avoidance) regarding second-half football performance were measured following team-talk delivery. Athletes in the rational team talk condition reported significantly lower threat appraisal and avoidance goal orientation than athletes in the irrational team talk condition. No significant between-condition differences emerged for challenge appraisal and approach goal orientation. For coaching practice, data suggest that communicating rational or irrational beliefs to football athletes through a half time team talk will influence appraisal and achievement goal orientation regarding upcoming performance.

Keywords
Rational emotive behaviour therapy, irrational beliefs, rational beliefs, appraisal, achievement goals

Citation

Evans, A., Turner, M., Pickering, R., & Powditch, R. (2018). The effects of rational and irrational coach team talks on the cognitive appraisal and achievement goal orientation of varsity football athletes. International journal of Sports Science & Coaching, 13(3), 431-438. https://doi.org/10.1177/1747954118771183

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Online Publication Date: Apr 18, 2018
• Publication Date: Apr 18, 2018
• Deposit Date: Apr 25, 2018
• Publicly Available Date: Apr 25, 2018
• Journal: International Journal of Sports Science & Coaching
• Print ISSN: 1747-9541
• Publisher: SAGE Publications
• Volume: 13
• Issue: 3
• Pages: 431-438
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1747954118771183
• Keywords: Social Sciences (miscellaneous)
• Publisher URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1747954118771183
• Related Public URLs: http://journals.sagepub.com/home/spo