Athlete engagement : I. A qualitative investigation of relevance and dimensions

Organizational psychologists have proposed that promoting employee engagement may be an effective way to prevent burnout. Researchers have identified vigor, dedication, efficacy, and absorption as potential employee engagement dimensions (Maslach, Schaufeli, & Leiter, 2001). However, no research has investigated athlete engagement (AE). This study is the first in a series and was designed to ascertain whether or not elite athletes experience engagement and, if so, to identify common AE dimensions. Following interviews with fifteen elite New Zealand athletes, AE was defined as a persistent, positive, cognitive-affective experience in sport, characterized by confidence, dedication, and vigor. Confidence represented ‘belief in one’s ability to attain a high level of performance and achieve desired goals’. Dedication was defined as ‘a desire to invest effort and time towards achieving goals one views as important’. Vigor was defined as ‘physical, mental, and emotional energy or liveliness’. Results indicated that AE was relevant to elite athletes and it is hoped that the findings of this study will lead to research into the promotion of positive sport environments.