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Group cohesion, needs satisfaction, and self-regulated learning: A one-year prospective study of elite youth soccer players' perceptions of their club team

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Abstract Objectives With an overarching aim of investigating the importance of group perceptions on factors believed to underpin the quantity and quality of athletic practice, the purpose of the present study was to examine the relationship between perceptions of group cohesion and elite youth soccer players' basic psychological needs satisfaction and self-regulation over a one-year period. Design Prospective study design involving data collection at two time-points over a one-year period. Method A total of 332 elite youth soccer players selected at Norwegian regional U14 (N = 154) and U 13 (N = 178) levels completed questionnaires measuring perceptions of club-team cohesion, and individual needs satisfaction, and self-regulation at baseline and one-year follow-up. Results While perceptions of task cohesion remained consistent over the study period, social cohesion, needs satisfaction, and self-regulation decreased. Controlling for baseline values, structural equation modelling revealed social cohesion at time 2 to be positively associated with needs satisfaction at time 2, but not self-regulation. Task cohesion at time 1 was negatively associated with self-regulation at time 2, yet no association was found for needs satisfaction. Conclusions The findings indicate a beneficial role of social cohesion in maintaining or increasing elite youth soccer players' needs satisfaction, and although explanations for the negative association between task cohesion and self-regulation can be gleaned from the literature, this relationship requires further investigation.