Goal orientation and sport commitment: a transcultural study between Mexico and Spain

Abstract

There are several reasons for a person to start and persist in sports, to explain this phenomenon one of the most used models is sport commitment that in different investigations has proven its cross-cultural validity and is related to various constructs, including achievement motivation. Within this theory of motivation, we find the goal orientation, which has been conceptualized as the mental structure through which individuals interpret and respond to goal situations, and can change the perception of contextual sports variables and influence decision of starting or staying in a sport. The objective of this study was to compare a sample of Mexican and Spanish athletes regarding the dimensions of achievement orientation and the variables of the sports commitment model. The results showed significant differences only in mastery dimension, but the models of structural equations show major differences in their distribution and in the variables that influence the commitment. Cultural differences were found in how athletes respond to goal situations and how this may affect their decision to stay or leave the sport, with Spaniards showing a better fit with the original model of sports commitment.