Abstract
The objectives of the present study were to examine (a) the potential correlates of role satisfaction, and (b) whether related role elements (e.g., role clarity, role efficacy, role importance) and team cohesion were predictors of role satisfaction within intercollegiate sport teams. Participants included 174 male and female intercollegiate basketball players (Mage = 20.85 ± 1.42 years). Initial correlation analyses revealed that role satisfaction was associated with role clarity (r = .69), role importance (r = .76), role efficacy (r = .42), attractions to group-task (r = .31), and attractions to group-social (r = .25; all ps < .01). Athletes were subsequently divided into lower (i.e., lowest 33%; Msat = 6.56 ± 1.35) and higher satisfaction (i.e., upper 33%; Msat = 9.27 ± 0.38) groups. A simultaneous binary logistic regression analysis determined significant predictive relationships with respect to role efficacy (? = 1.03, p < .05), role clarity (? = 2.08, p = 0.001), role importance (? = 1.64, p < .05), attractions to group-task (? = 0.87, p = 0.051), and attractions to group-social (? = 0.85, p < .05). The overall prediction success was 88%, with 86.5% of the low satisfaction cases and 90% of the high satisfaction cases correctly classified. Results suggest that role satisfaction is a salient perception among intercollegiate athletes and, furthermore, is closely related to important group processes such as team cohesion. Potential implications will be discussed.
