Motivation and eudaimonic well-being in athletes: A self-determination theory perspective

Drawing from self-determination theory (SDT; Deci & Ryan, 1985), the present study examined the relationship between motivation and eudaimonic well-being in the sport context. All the types of motivation were tested individually to examine how they influence athletes' eudaimonic well-being via Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). Three hundred ninety nine athletes (Mage = 25.08, SD = 7.35) from 15 different individual and team sports completed a questionnaire tapping the targeted variables. The analysis partially supported the hypotheses. Integrated and identified regulations positively predicted athletes' eudaimonic well-being. External regulation was also a positive predictor of the eudaimonic well-being, while introjected regulation and amotivation negatively predicted athletes' eudaimonic well-being. Finally, athletes' intrinsic motivation did not significantly predict their eudaimonic well-being. Results highlight the complex link between different types of sport motivation and athletes' well-being.