Predicting competition contingent self-worth in university varsity athletes. Does gender moderate the effects of self-compassion and sport perfectionism?

Abstract

This research examines if gender moderates the effects of sport perfectionism and self-compassion (SC) on contingent self-worth (CSW) in university athletes.  Research suggests perfectionism and self-compassion are related to contingencies of self-worth (Hill et al., 2011; Neff & Vonk, 2009). Participants were 262 varsity athletes (N_Female=126) from British Columbia and Quebec who completed measures of SC (Self-Compassion Scale; Neff, 2003), sport perfectionism [Sport Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale-2 (Sport-MPS-2); Gotwals & Dunn, 2009], and a sport-adapted measure of competitive CSW (J. Crocker, 2003). First, mean gender differences were examined, with multivariate analysis revealing gender differences in SC (p = .04, η² = .017) and the parental pressure subscale of the Sport-MPS-2 (p = .03, η² = .019), with males scoring higher on both. Next, a moderated regression analysis examined if gender moderated the effects of SC and perfectionism in predicting CSW. SC, Sport-MPS-2, and gender were entered in Step 1, with interaction terms entered in Step 2. Although SC was a significant correlate of CSW (r = -.25, p < .01), only perfectionism scales were significant predictors of CSW (R² = .21, p < .01). The Sport-MPS-2 scales of personal standards (β = .214) and concern over mistakes (β = .294) were significant individual predictors of CSW. There was no evidence that gender moderated the effects of perfectionism or SC on CSW (all p_s > .18). Further research is needed to clarify the independent and joint effects of perfectionism and SC on CSW and the subsequent impact of CSW on athletic adjustment.