Understanding Athlete Motivation using Self-Determination Theory (SDT)

Key takeaways: 

• Understanding motivation and how it impacts adherence to exercise, training & performance, and rehab outcomes can provide a foundation for creating and sustaining long-term health and fitness outcomes. 

• Self-determination theory (SDT) is one theoretical framework we use to better understand an individual’s motivations and how we can best support their psychological needs. 

• SDT suggests that individuals/athletes have 3 psychological needs that are required to be met consistently in order to sustain motivation. Sustained motivation improves exercise adherence which leads to a greater odds of achieving long-term health and fitness success. 

  • Autonomy - The ability to have ownership over a task. 

  • Competency - The ability to develop a skill and have a path forward to continual development. 

  • Relatedness - The fundamental need to feel connected and cared for by others, i.e. having meaningful relationships 

• Athletes will vary in how much of each pillar they need at different times in their development, but if all three psychological needs are fulfilled, we theoretically increase the odds of program sustainability.