Relations between Big Five personality traits model and achievement motive in athletes

The achievement motive is a relevant factor for sports success. Many athletes do not achieve success proportional to their potential possibilities precisely because they do not have sufficiently high achievement motive. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between the Big Five personality traits model and achievement motive in athletes. The survey encompassed 301 athletes from the Republic of Srpska. We applied the Big Five Inventory and Achievement Motive Scale. A series of hierarchical regression analysis was used to examine the predictive contribution of personality traits to achievement motive and its components, after removing the impact of demographic variables on achievement motive. The obtained results indicate a significant predictive power of personality traits for achievement motive. The most powerful predictor of the total score of achievement motive was conscientiousness. By observing the components of the achievement motive, conscientiousness proved to be a significant positive predictor of all components of achievement motive. Other personality traits of the Big Five model have proved to be significant predictors of one or more components of achievement motive. The obtained results are important for researchers, in order to better understand achievement motive in sport, but also for sports coaches and selectors deciding on the athletes for competitions.