Psychoneuroendocrine interactions in response to the motivational climate in a sport setting: An experimental investigation

The primary purpose of this experimental investigation was to assess former athletes’ psychoneuroendocrine responses to the perceived motivational climate during a free throw shooting clinic. Thirty-nine male former basketball players (Mage = 20.18) were randomly assigned to a free throw shooting clinic with either a caring, task-involving climate (CTIC; socially supportive, mastery-focused) or an ego-involving climate (EIC; hypercompetitive, winning-centered). Saliva samples were collected at six time points to assess salivary cortisol, testosterone, and alpha-amylase including two baseline (t = −45 and −30 min from the start of the clinic) and four response/return-to-baseline samples (t = + 20, 35, 50, and 65 min). Participants completed pre- and post-clinic surveys in order to assess psychosocial stress experiences, psychosocial stress responses (e.g., shame), enjoyment, cognitive and somatic anxiety, and self-confidence. Compared with the CTIC participants, the EIC participants had significantly greater salivary cortisol and testosterone concentrations and reported greater psychosocial stress experiences and shame. The salivary cortisol, testosterone, and alpha-amylase levels of participants in the EIC group increased significantly from baseline, along with their testosterone/cortisol ratio (T/C ratio). In contrast, CTIC participants reported greater enjoyment during the free throw clinic and their salivary cortisol levels decreased relative to baseline levels. Collectively the findings suggest athletes respond more favorably to performance stress when immersed in a CTIC as opposed to an EIC. Likewise, the psychoneuroendocrine profile of the EIC participants indicate that recurrent exposure to EICs in sporting contexts may have adverse implications for athletic performance and recovery, although further research is needed.