Relationship between psychological characteristics associated with sports performance, with socio-demographic and sports variables, in a sample of colombian athletes

Abstract

Psychological conditions are determining aspects for the athlete's performance, however, in Latin America, and especially in Colombia, research is limited regarding psychological characteristics and their differences based on demographic and sport variables. Therefore, the objective was to determine the relationship between the psychological characteristics associated with sports performance, and demographic and sports variables. A cross-sectional and correlational study was carried out, with a sample of 317 Colombian athletes belonging to different sports modalities, to whom the Questionnaire of Psychological Characteristics Related to Sports Performance (CPRD, in its Spanish acronym) was applied. The findings indicate better stress control in men and higher team cohesion scores in women; in terms of sports-specific characteristics, no significant differences were found between any of the categories; and in comparisons by sport, it was found that rugby and cheerleading present, globally, better psychological conditions associated with sports performance compared to athletes in soccer, volleyball, or basketball. Regarding competition level, significant differences were found in motivation, with higher scores for professionals compared to university athletes. Finally, there was no relationship between any of the scales and the number of years that the athletes have continuously been practicing the sport, nor age. The findings suggest that gender, the sport practiced, and the level at which athletes compete appear to be determinants of the psychological conditions associated with sports performance. © 2023 Didactic Asociation Andalucia. All rights reserved.