Examining the use of self-regulated learning strategies by female collegiate rugby players

Abstract

Research on the self-efficacy of athletes has indicated that self-efficacy beliefs of athletes influences their sport performance. Teaching athletes to develop the strategies to self-regulate has been identified as crucial to athletes’ long-term maintenance of sport confidence. Self-regulated learning processes including self-monitoring and goal setting can have a positive effect on self-motivation beliefs including self-efficacy. In academic settings, self-regulation strategies have been successfully taught and linked to increases in both motivation and achievement. Specific to learning in a sporting context, self-regulated learning processes were found to enhance skill acquisition. There is limited research exploring the relationship between self-regulated learning processes such as process goal setting, and self-efficacy beliefs related to individuals in a team sport setting. This case study explores how collegiate women’s rugby players use self-regulated learning strategies and processes, and how this influences their self-efficacy. Athletes identified using a variety of different self-regulated learning processes during training and competition, highlighting specifically how they learned from others, different strategies for planning and preparing, review and analysis of performance, and strategies to control emotions and focus. Athletes identified that several of these processes had a positive influence on their self-efficacy.