Interpersonal coaching styles and attachment status in athletes:The relationship between the athlete and the coach as an attachment figure

Abstract

Attachment theory has been applied to understand relationships beyond infancy, such as romantic relationships and the client-therapist relationship (e.g., Hazan & Shaver, 1987; Mallinckrodt et al., 1995). The present study applies this theory to the player-coach relationship, through the creation of the Player Attachment to Coach Scale (PACS). This study also examines the intersection between athlete attachment status and coaching style, and its impact on athlete satisfaction. Participants (N = 414) were required to have previously played at least one sport under a coach. They completed measures of romantic attachment status, they rated their coaches coaching style, and they completed the PACS. They also rated general questions about their time as an athlete and satisfaction. Results suggest that the athlete-coach relationship can be conceptualized as an attachment relationship. In a series of regressions, the PACS was found to be a better predictor of sports-related outcomes over the ECR-S. Findings from several ANOVAs also suggest that athletes high in avoidance toward their coach were more satisfied with a controlling coach, compared to those low in avoidance. Limitations and future directions are also discussed.