Dyadic Anxiety in Youth Sport: The Relationship of Achievement Goals With Anxiety in Young Athletes and Their Parents

Abstract

The role of achievement motivation on precompetitive anxiety was examined in 73 dyads comprising youth athletes and a parent of each athlete. Participants completed questionnaires assessing achievement goals and anxiety. Actor–partner interdependence models were estimated using Mplus 7.11. Parents’ adoption of performance-approach and performance-avoidance goals predicted athletes’ worry (βperformance-approach =.30, p <.01; βperformance-avoidance =.25, p <.05). Athletes’ adoption of any goal predicted parents’ concentration disruption (βmastery-approach =.41; βmastery-avoidance =.30, p <.01; βperformance-approach =.27; βperformance-avoidance =.22, p <.05). Thus, parental definitions of competence held for the child was related to their young athlete's emotional state and vice versa.