title: Returning to competition after a serious injury: the role of self-determination.
abstract: We tested hypotheses grounded in self-determination theory regarding athletes' cognitive appraisals and emotional reactions when returning to competition following a serious injury. Professional male athletes (N = 225) competing in the Australian Football League were presented with return-to-competition scenarios that varied with respect to: (1) degree of self-determination and (2) salience of re-injury concern. Significant MANOVA main effects were observed for the degree of self-determination on both primary appraisals and emotional responses as well as for the salience of re-injury concern on emotional response. Follow-up ANOVA polynomial trend analyses provided support for the hypothesized trends for greater self-determination in the return to sport to result in more positive appraisals and affect. Findings support self-determination theory contentions and research indicating the psychological benefits of increased self-determination.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health, Exercise and Sport Sciences, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas 79409-3011, USA. les.podlog@ttu.edu
authors.forename: Leslie
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Podlog
authors.forename: Robert C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Eklund
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D056352:Athletes / Q000523:psychology*; D001265:Athletic Injuries / Q000523:psychology*; D001315:Australia; D003163:Competitive Behavior; D004644:Emotions; D005538:Football / Q000293:injuries / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D026684:Personal Autonomy; D055815:Young Adult