Importancia de la percepción de competencia y de la motivación en la salud mental de deportistas universitarios / Importance of perceived competition and motivation to the mental health of college athletes

RESUMEN

OBJETIVO. Analizar las relaciones directas e indirectas entre la competencia deportiva, la motivación autónoma y el bienestar/malestar psicológico en universitarios. MATERIAL Y MÉTODOS. Se recogieron datos de 491 universitarios españoles (299 hombres y 192 mujeres) practicantes de actividad deportiva, que se usaron en un diseño de estudio transversal. Se utilizó la técnica estadística de ecuaciones estructurales. RESULTADOS. La percepción de competencia deportiva favoreció el bienestar psicológico directamente, e indirectamente a través de la motivación autónoma. Además, la percepción de competencia se asoció negativamente con el malestar psicológico. CONCLUSIONES. Se destaca la importancia de la percepción de competencia deportiva y de la motivación autónoma como favorecedores del bienestar y evitación del malestar psicológico en universitarios.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE. This research analyzes the direct and indirect relationships among self-motivation, perceived competition and psychological well-being and ill-being. MATERIAL AND METHODS. Data from 491 Spanish college students (299 men and 192 women) who practice sports were collected using a cross-sectional design. Statistical analyses were carried out using structural equation modeling. RESULTS. Psychological well-being was directly fostered by perceived competition and indirectly by self- motivation. Furthermore, perceived competition was negatively associated with psychological ill-being. CONCLUSIONS. Perceived competition and self-motivation are important to the psychological well-being of college students and to avoiding ill-being.