Abstract:
The aim of this investigation was to identify the relationship between self-determined
motivation (SDM) towards the sports in relation with performance. The minor objectives
were to find the relationship between SDM and variables of different performance levels,
event categories and gender. Hundred (n=100) Sri Lankan national athletes (males n = 70
and females n = 30) who were competed in the South Asian Games’ national trial 2015 was
taken as the sample. Athletes’ SDM was measured by using Sport Motivation Scale (SMS;
Pelletier et al., 1995). Performance was collected by competition results sheets and each
performance assign respective points on the International Association of Athletic
Federation point table. Spearman’s Rank Correlation was used to examine the relationship
between variables and all the differences were considered significant in 95% confidence
interval. Findings indicated SDM and performance were positively associated but
relationship is not significant (r = 0.156, p = 0.122). Results in different event categories
shown that SDM produced a significant negative correlation with low level (r = -0.500, p =
0.667) and middle level performance (r = -0.012, p = 0.921). The correlation between best
performance level and SDM produced a positive (r = 0.288, p = 0.218) and non-significant.
In Sprints, Hurdles and Relays (r = 0.246, p = 0.092) and Long distances categories (r =
0.224, p = 0.533) results indicated a positive correlation and non- significant relationship.
In middle distances (r = -0.064, p = 0.853) and jumping and throwing (r = -0.091, p =
0.628) events categories’ SDI made negative and non-significant correlation in relation
with performance. Results indicated that SDM produced a positive and moderate
significant correlation with performance in females (r = 0.529, p = 0.003). Females’ SDI has
produced a significant relationship with their performance. In males’ SDI made positive
and non-significant correlation in relation with their performance (r = 0.021, p = 0.861). In
conclusion, self-determined motivation was produced a positive relationship with
performance, beside with respect to gender, there was a strong difference relationship
between SDI and performance of male and female.
