Coaching Behaviors, Satisfaction of Needs, and Intrinsic Motivation Among Chinese University Athletes

This cross-sectional study applied self-determination theory to understand the relationship between coaching behaviors, psychological need satisfaction, and intrinsic motivation among young Chinese athletes from 2 universities in Macao, China (N = 208). In the path model with the demographics adjusted, coaching behaviors (training instruction, democratic behaviors, autocratic behaviors, social support, and positive feedback) and need satisfaction (perceived autonomy, competence, and relatedness) explained 44% of the variance in intrinsic motivation. We also found indirect effects of some coaching behaviors on intrinsic motivation through satisfying the psychological needs. Furthermore, independent self-construal significantly moderated the relationship between perceived relatedness and intrinsic motivation.