Administrative Influence On Sports Achievement Motivation: The Role Of Parental Support As A Mediator

Abstract

This study aimed to explore the impact of administrative factors and parental support on sports achievement motivation among student-athletes who participated in the All-Pakistan Intervarsity Sports Competitions during 2023-2024. The research involved a sample of 760 student-athletes, with 439 from public sector universities and 321 from private sector universities in Pakistan. A self-made and adopted questionnaire was used to collect data, measuring administrative factors, parental support, and sports achievement motivation. The reliability of the instruments was confirmed, with Cronbach's Alpha values ranging from 0.700 to 0.839. Data normality was assessed using Kolmogorov-Smirnov and Shapiro-Wilk tests, confirming that the data were normally distributed. The study revealed[1] significant, yet weak, positive correlations between administrative factors and sports achievement motivation (r = 0.277, p < 0.001) and between parental support and sports achievement motivation (r = 0.312, p < 0.001). Furthermore, multiple regression analysis indicated that administrative factors and parental support collectively explained 13.2% of the variance in sports achievement motivation. Mediation analysis following Baron and Kenny’s method showed that parental support partially mediated the relationship between administrative factors and sports achievement motivation, with both the direct and indirect effects being statistically significant. The findings highlight the crucial role of administrative support and parental involvement in enhancing sports achievement motivation among student-athletes. These insights can inform policymakers and educators in designing strategies to foster a supportive environment for athletes, ultimately leading to improved performance in university-level sports competitions.