Fostering athlete engagement through psychological need satisfaction

a narrative review

Abstract

Sport psychology research has increasingly highlighted the importance of athlete motivation and commitment, particularly within the framework of Self-Determination Theory (SDT). This narrative review explores the role of psychological needs satisfaction (autonomy, competence, and relatedness) in fostering athletes' self-determined motivation and sport engagement. The coach-athlete relationship plays a pivotal role in creating a motivational climate that supports the satisfaction of these needs. Specifically, autonomy-supportive coaching behaviors, democratic leadership, and task-oriented (mastery) motivational climate have been linked to higher levels of athlete engagement and intrinsic motivation. This review highlights the necessity of implementing coaching strategies that prioritize psychological need fulfillment to enhance athletes’ motivation and, in turn, sustained commitment to sport.