title: The relationship between sources of motivation and level of practice in young Portuguese swimmers.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between participation motives and level of practice in young Portuguese swimmers and to investigate whether swimmers with a different expertise differ in their reasons for participation involvement.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 155 subjects (68 male and 87 female), aged 7 to 18 years, responded to the Portuguese versions of the Participation Motivation Inventory. The subjects were divided into those participating in learn-to swim programs (n=40), advanced programs (n=49) or competition (n=56).
  
  
  RESULTS
  A significant multivariate effect was obtained for level of practice, with children involved in learn-to swim programs rating fitness, competition, general affiliation, technical skills and fun significantly lower in importance than the other two groups. A 2 (subject gender) x3 (practice level) MANCOVA, with age at dropout, revealed that the effect of the covariate itself was not significant, but a main effect was found for gender, differing boys and girls only in the emotion factor. A significant interaction was also detected between gender and participation level, with a higher importance given to general affiliation by girls in comparison to boys in the advanced programs and competition categories.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results in a sample of Portuguese swimmers indicate the existence of multiple motives for participation and significant differences in motivational factors in relation to the practice level.
authors.affiliation: School of Physical Education ISLA-Bragança, Portugal.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Salselas
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gonzalez-Boto
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tuero
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Marquez
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009042:Motivation; D010555:Personality Inventory; D010806:Physical Education and Training / Q000379:methods*; D011174:Portugal; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013550:Swimming / Q000523:psychology*