An Exploratory Examination of Strategies Used by Elite Coaches to Enhance Self-Efficacy in Athletes

TLDR

The study is grounded in Bandura’s 1977 self‑efficacy theory. The research examined how elite coaches employ 13 self‑efficacy strategies and assessed their perceived effectiveness across coach categories. Study 2 surveyed 124 national‑team coaches from 30 Olympic‑family sports to evaluate strategy use and perceived effectiveness. Coaches most frequently used and rated as effective instruction‑drilling, modeling confidence, positive talk, and reward statements, with minimal variation across coach categories.

Abstract

Two studies were conducted to assess strategies elite coaches use to enhance self-efficacy in athletes, in particular the degree to which coaches use 13 strategies to influence self-efficacy and their evaluation of the effectiveness of those strategies. Self-efficacy rating differences between categories of coaches were also examined. Intercollegiate wrestling coaches (iV=101) surveyed in Study 1 indicated they most often used instruction-drilling, modeling confidence oneself, encouraging positive talk, and employing hard physical conditioning drills. Techniques or strategies judged most effective by these coaches included instraction-drilling, modeling confidence oneself, liberal use of reward statements, and positive talk. In Study 2, 124 national team coaches representing 30 Olympic-family sports served as subjects. The strategies they most often used were instruction-drilling, modeling confidence oneself, encouraging positive talk, and emphasizing technique improvements while downplaying outcome. The techniques judged most effective were instruction-drilling, encouraging positive talk, modeling confidence onself, and liberal use of reward statements. Few between-coach differences were found in efficacy use and effectiveness ratings. Findings are discussed in light of Bandura's (1977) theory of self-efficacy.