Proximal and distal factors associated with dropout versus maintained participation in organized sport

The purpose of this study was to investigate a large number ofdeterminants of sport dropout among french adolescents, inorder to reveal proximal and distal factors of dropout. 261 currentand 106 dropout athletes (m = 14.6) participated to thestudy. the data were collected by a questionnaire assessingdemographic information, athletes’ perceptions on their experience,their parents, teammates and coach. t-tests revealed thatcurrent and former athletes were distinct on numerous variables.a discriminant function analysis showed three proximal predictorsof sport dropout (perceived value of the activity, satisfaction,parents’ investment). subsequent regression analysesshowed that perceived value was positively predicted by perceivedcompetence, the value of the activity for teammates,coach’s investment, and negatively by conflicts of interest andgoal conflict with teammates; satisfaction was positively predictedby the coach’s mastery climate, but negatively predictedby conflicts of interest and goal conflict with teammates andwith the coach; parents investment was negatively predicted bythe goal conflicts with them. this study permitted to discriminatebetween proximal and more distal psychological antecedentsof the dropout behaviour. it brings information relative tothe possible targets of interventions aiming at preventing dropoutfrom organized sport.