Do perceived justice and need support of the coach predict team identification and cohesion? Testing their relative importance among top volleyball and handball players in Belgium and Norway

Objectives: Based on findings in organizational psychology, the aim of the present study was to test the relevance of perceived justice and need support of the coach in team sports. Specifically, two studies examined their relation with athletes’ team identification and team cohesion. Design: Two cross-sectional, questionnaire studies conducted after a midseason game day. Methods: In study 1, Belgian top level female volleyball players (N ¼56; M ¼22.33) and male handball players (N ¼35; M ¼23.59) completed web-based questionnaires assessing athletes’ perceived justice and need support of the coach and their team identification and cohesion. In study 2, Norwegian top level female handball pl…