Psychological safety and its impact on motivation within Swedish youth sport teams.

Abstract: This study aimed to examine the links between psychological safety and Intrinsic (autonomous motivation) and Extrinsic (controlled motivation) motivation in youth sport team athletes, and second to examine gender differences in psychological safety, Intrinsic and Extrinsic motivation. A cross sectional survey study was conducted with 133 participants (93 males and 39 females) from various sports including football, ice-hockey, basketball, and handball. The participants were at national and regional levels in Sweden, aged varied from 16-19 years. Regression analysis revealed that approximately 7.6% of the variability of Extrinsic motivation can be explained by levels of psychological safety. Independent t-test indicated that female athletes scored higher on psychological safety, but no gender differences were found in types of motivation. This implies that female athletes may feel safer and more supported in their team sports environment. The results of this study are discussed and highlight the importance for coaches and leaders to prioritize creating a positive team cohesion that promotes psychological safety among team members. Further research could explore other potential factors affecting motivation, and further clarify the role gender might play.