Author(s): SANO, T., HAMANO, Y., Institution: CHUKYO UNIVERSITY, Country: JAPAN, Abstract-ID: 648

INTRODUCTION
To maintain and enhance athletes’ motivation to continue participation in sports teams, the effectiveness of routinely monitoring psychological states using digital psychological assessment tools has been reported (Sano & Hamano., 2026). Factors supporting motivation may include those that show consistent associations regardless of team environment, as well as those whose strength of association varies across teams. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between athletes’ psychological states measured using a digital psychological assessment tool and motivation to continue participation, and to investigate differences in the strength of these associations between teams.
METHOD
A total of 335 athletes from nine sports teams in Japan participated in this study (soccer: 3 teams; track and field: 3 teams; baseball: 1 team; lacrosse: 1 team; cheerleading: 1 team). Motivation to continue participation and six satisfaction-related variables—self-growth, relationships with teammates and coaches, home life, time in daily life, and one's life—were measured using a digital psychological assessment tool (NOCC for Sports). Based on the measurement results, a general linear model was conducted with motivation to continue participation as the dependent variable, and each satisfaction variable, team, and their interaction terms as independent variables. The significance of the main effects of the satisfaction variables was examined, and when significant interactions were observed, simple slope analyses were performed to examine differences in effects between teams.
RESULTS
The main effects of all six satisfaction variables were significant and positively associated with motivation to continue participation. Significant interactions with team were observed for relationship with coach, satisfaction with home life, and satisfaction with life. Simple slope analyses indicated that satisfaction with the relationship with coach was particularly strongly associated with motivation in track and field school teams and a baseball club team with highly experienced and accomplished coaches. Satisfaction with home life showed strong associations with motivation in soccer and baseball club teams composed of junior and senior high school athletes. Satisfaction with one's life showed strong associations with motivation in track and field school teams composed of university athletes.
CONCLUSION
Satisfaction measured using a digital psychological assessment tool is a valid indicator associated with motivation to continue participation. The relationships between motivation to continue participation and relationship with coach, satisfaction with home life, and satisfaction with one's life differ across teams, suggesting that these associations tend to be influenced by team-specific characteristics such as coaching systems, activity formats, and athletes’ age groups.