Author(s): PINEDA-ESPEJEL, H.A., ROMERO-GARCÍA, T., TREJO, M., MORQUECHO-SÁNCHEZ, R., Institution: UNIVERSIDAD AUTÓNOMA DE BAJA CALIFORNIA, Country: MEXICO, Abstract-ID: 295

Introduction
Concentration is an important psychological skill in performance sport. Concentration of attention is the process that allows the “Focusing of all attention on the relevant aspects of a task, ignoring or eliminating everything else” [1]. It is an important aspect during the competition, as well as in the learning phase and in training, since it allows attention to be focused on the relevant stimuli [2]. Then the concentration can contribute to the projection of future sporting talents. This variable has been theorized as a psychological need of the athlete [3], so it can be related to the basic psychological needs (BPN), innate and universal, proposed by the self-determination theory [SDT (4)], that is, autonomy, relatedness and competence. In turn, the satisfaction and frustration of BPN will depend on interpersonal influence. In sport, one of the main social agents is the coach, who through his or her behavior could also influence the athletes concentration. One of the interpersonal constructs extracted from the multidimensional theory of perfectionism [MPT (5)] is the coachs tendency to impose high goals and put pressure to achieve them, as well as to critically evaluate (PPC).
The objective of this work was to link the MPT and SDT, to investigate the relationships that exist between the PPC, NPB frustration and concentration in sport.
Methods
Forty-six soccer and field hockey athletes (25 men and 21 women) with a chronological age between 12 and 23 years (M=8.45; SD=2.16), answered a set of questionnaires that measured the study variables.
Results
The sample showed low autonomy (M=2.01; SD=1.10), competence (M=2.52; SD=1.43), and relatedness frustration (M=1.90; SD=0.79), as well as high concentration (M=4.15; SD =0.97), and moderate PPC (M=3.34; SD=1.44). The data were normally distributed (asymmetry and kurtosis between -1 and 1), so the Pearson correlations indicated that PPC was not significantly related (p>.05) witho the needs frustration (autonomy r=-.08; competence r=.09; relatedness r=.13) nor with concentration (r=.20); concentration was negatively and non-significantly related to NPB frustration (autonomy r=-.10; competence r=-.21; relatedness r=-.03).
Discussion
The perception of PPC is not related to concentration, perhaps because these behaviors are not focused on the work of said skill. Furthermore, the lack of relationship between NPB and concentration supports the assumption that the latter could not be considered as a NPB. These results may be due to the measurement of the variables in a training situation in team sports, where concentration could be less relevant.
References
1. Lorenzo, J. (1992).
2. Cañizares, M. (2008).
3. Dosil, J. (2005).
4. Deci, E.L., & Ryan, R.M. (2000).
5. Stoeber, J., & Otto, K. (2006).