A1 Journal article (refereed)
Student Athletes’ Causal Attributions for Sport and School Achievement in Relation to Sport Dropout and Grade Point Average (2023)

Saarinen, M., Bertram, R., Aunola, K., Pankkonen, J., & Ryba, T. V. (2023). Student Athletes’ Causal Attributions for Sport and School Achievement in Relation to Sport Dropout and Grade Point Average. Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 45(1), 15-25. https://doi.org/10.1123/jsep.2022-0115

JYU authors or editors

Publication details

All authors or editors: Saarinen, Milla; Bertram, Raymond; Aunola, Kaisa; Pankkonen, Julia; Ryba, Tatiana V.

Journal or series: Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology

ISSN: 0895-2779

eISSN: 1543-2904

Publication year: 2023

Publication date: 18/01/2023

Volume: 45

Issue number: 1

Pages range: 15-25

Publisher: Human Kinetics

Publication country: United States

Publication language: English

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1123/jsep.2022-0115

Publication open access: Not open

Publication channel open access: 

Publication is parallel published (JYX): https://jyx.jyu.fi/handle/123456789/85820

Abstract

The present study longitudinally examined stability and change in the attributional profiles of Finnish student athletes (n = 391) in upper secondary sport schools. Moreover, it examined the extent to which these profiles, and changes in them, were associated with athletes’ level of sport competition and school achievements and dropouts at the end of upper secondary sport school. Using latent profile analysis, five different and highly stable attributional profiles were identified for student athletes: (a) depressive (6.9%), (b) athletic self-serving (23.0%), (c) average (16.4%), (d) learned helplessness (30.9%), and (e) responsible (22.8%). The results further showed that over the 3-year study period, the responsible attributional style, wherein individuals take responsibility for successes and failures, predicted student athletes’ subsequent high grade point average and low sport dropout rates even after controlling for the impacts of their earlier grade point average, gender, and type of sport.

Keywords: general upper secondary school students; professional sports career; school attendance; study; specialised general upper secondary schools; study performance; dropping out; responsibility (properties); motivation (mental objects); attribution; attribution theory; sport psychology

Free keywords: attributional style; senior high school; upper secondary school; ability; effort; responsible

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Ministry reporting: Yes

VIRTA submission year: 2023

JUFO rating: 2