Exploring the interplay between gender, self-concept, motivation, and basic psychological needs among high school athletes

This study investigates the relationship between gender and self-concept among high school students enrolled in sports-oriented programs. In addition, it examines the interconnections among self-concept, motivation, and the satisfaction of basic psychological needs. The sample comprises 215 high school students aged 16 to 18 years. Three standardized instruments were employed: the brief version of the Five-Factor Self-Concept Questionnaire, the Basic Psychological Needs in Exercise Scale, and the Sport Motivation Scale (SMS-II). Statistical analyses were conducted using IBM SPSS (version 28.0) and AMOS (version 29). As anticipated, no significant differences emerged in overall self-concept between male and female students, a finding consistent with prior research. However, a significant positive association was observed between gender and emotional self-concept, with female students scoring higher than their male counterparts. Regarding the relationship between self-concept and motivation, academic self-concept demonstrated a significant positive association with intrinsic motivation and a negative correlation with amotivation. Furthermore, academic self-concept was positively related to the basic psychological needs of autonomy, competence, and relatedness, with autonomy showing the strongest link. The study highlights the complex interplay among gender, self-concept, motivational orientations, and psychological needs. Emotional self-concept was positively correlated with less autonomous forms of motivation—introjected regulation, external regulation, and amotivation—suggesting a potential connection between emotional sensitivity and motivational vulnerability. Family self-concept emerged as a strong predictor of autonomous motivation, while social self-concept was significantly associated with the need for relatedness. In summary, the findings underscore the complex and multidimensional nature of self-concept and its significant implications for motivational processes.