Validation of Factors Affecting the Enhancement of Athletes’ Social Competence
Keywords:
Social capital, social adequacy, sports sociologyAbstract
The present study aimed to validate the factors influencing the enhancement of athletes’ social competence and to develop a comprehensive model explaining the key dimensions contributing to social competence in sports settings. This study employed a mixed-methods design. In the qualitative phase, grounded theory methodology was used, and data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 16 sports management scholars, experts, coaches, and national-level athletes. The interviews were analyzed through open, axial, and selective coding. In the quantitative phase, 385 professional athletes from individual and team sports were selected through multistage sampling. A researcher-developed questionnaire based on the qualitative findings was administered. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, and Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). The qualitative analysis yielded 80 initial concepts, 20 subcategories, and 10 core categories. Confirmatory factor analysis demonstrated that all indicators had significant factor loadings exceeding 0.40. Reliability indices, including Cronbach’s alpha, composite reliability, and Rho_A, exceeded the recommended threshold of 0.70 for all constructs. Convergent validity was confirmed through AVE values above 0.50, while discriminant validity was supported by HTMT values below 0.90. The results identified ten major determinants of athletes’ social competence: communication skills, emotional capabilities, social interactions and team roles, cognitive abilities, ethical and cultural responsibility, motivation and social identity, psychological and cultural sports competence, experiential and social learning in sport, social identity capabilities, and social experience and learning. The structural model demonstrated satisfactory fit and strong construct validity. Athletes’ social competence is a multidimensional construct shaped by communication, emotional, cognitive, cultural, and identity-related factors. The validated model provides a robust framework for designing educational, psychological, and social development programs aimed at enhancing athletes’ social competence, interpersonal effectiveness, and overall sporting and social success.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Zahra sadeghi (Author); Zahra Abdolvahabi; Zahra Chaharbaghi , Sepideh Ghotnian, Zohreh Afsharmand (Author)
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