Achievement goal profiles, trait-anxiety and state-emotion of young female competitive horse riders

Abstract

The goal orientations of female riders (N=83) between the ages of 9 and 20 were investigated with a view to extracting goal profiles from the collected data. Goal orientations were identified by means of the Achievement Goal Questionnaire for Sport (AGQ-S), which is based in the 2x2 achievement goal model. Goal profiles were created using cluster analysis. Seven distinct goal profiles emerged from the data. The goal profiles were compared to measures of the rider’s trait-anxiety and state-emotion in competitive horse riding. The profile that was high in the approach orientations and low in the avoidant orientations emerged as the most emotionally robust profile. It was also the most competitively successful profile. The profiles where the avoidant orientations were high emerged as the most emotionally vulnerable profiles. Furthermore, they did not demonstrate any particular competitive success.