The comparison of the psychological skills in sport trainers and recreational table tennis players

• Published in: Fizicka kultura 2014, Vol.68 (2), p.148-156
• Main Author: Sindik, Josko
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: athletes / differences / mental skills
• ISSN: 0350-3828; 2217-947X
• DOI: 10.5937/fizkul1402148S

The main aim of the study was to compare the differences and correlations in psychological skills important for the sport achievement in two samples: 86 Croatian trainers of various sports and 86 recreational table tennis players, using adjusted Dutch Youth Version of the Psychological Skills Inventory for Sports (PSIS-Youth). The relationship among different psychological skills are established separately on each sample, according the education level, age, league, position on the ranking list, years of playing. The differences in psychological skills are analysed according to different independent variables. Separate correlation matrices for the sport trainers and recreational table tennis players indicate similar trends in both studied samples. Variables such as degree, age, rank of league, position on the ranking list, years of playing low correlated with psychological skills. Among all the tested psychological skills, motivation is the most important psychological skill that distinguishes athletes and coaches in most of the independent variables: coaches who have completed their athletic career voluntarily or because of lack of further ambitions have more pronounced motivation.