Exploring direction between cohesion and collective efficacy and relationships with performance of football teams

Abstract

The direction between cohesion and collective efficacy measured at the beginning and the end of a season and their association with team performance as measured by final classification was examined. The sample comprised 146 soccer players, aged between 15 and 18 years (mean=16.96±0.76). The Spanish version of the Group Environment Questionnaire (GEQ) and the Football Collective Efficacy Questionnaire (FCEQ) were used to assess cohesion and collective efficacy.  Performance was evaluated by the average between final position in the  classification table and satisfaction with team performance perceived by the players. Results showed that in the first six months of competition, team cohesion had greater power to predict collective efficacy at the end of the league. However, collective efficacy did not predict team cohesion significantly. Collective efficacy was more closely related to team performance than group cohesion by the end of the season. It was concluded that during pre-season and at the start of the season, team sport coaches should focus on social and task aspects, both individually and at a group level. This would improve the perception of collective team efficacy and lead to better team performance.

Key words: Cohesion; Collective efficacy; Direction; Performance; Football teams.