Informed Consent

For participation in the research project entitled:

Does the nature of the coach-athlete relationship affect athlete self-efficacy?

Researchers: 

Darren Kruisselbrink, Associate Professor, SRMK, email darren.kruisselbrink@acadiau.ca or ph. 585-1564

Chris Shields, Associate Professor, SRMK, email chris.shields@acadiau.ca or ph. 585-1319

The purpose of this study is to examine whether athletes’ perceptions of the coach-athlete relationship is related to their sport confidence.

Requirements of participants

Here’s what we will be asking you to do.  You will be asked to complete a series of questionnaires three times during the season (Oct., Dec., March). The questionnaires will be completed online via a secure website designed for this study, and should take approximately 15 minutes each time.

The CART-Q is a 22 item questionnaire on which you will be asked to rate your perceptions of the quality of your relationship with your coach. Most of you completed it at the end of last season. The Self-Efficacy questionnaire is a 28 item questionnaire designed to measure your confidence in your playing and training abilities.

While questionnaires provide a general view of your perspective, a more detailed view can be obtained through an interview. Therefore, at your end-of-season mental training meeting, you will be asked to reflect on the events and experiences that contributed to the perceptions you recorded on the questionnaires. To accurately record the information you provide, we would like your permission to audio record the interview.

All in all, we anticipate that participating in this study will take between 30 and 60 minutes over and above your usual time commitment to volleyball.

There are no known harms or benefits to participants from participation in this study. You are free to ask questions of the researcher at any time. Once everyone has been interviewed, a brief summary of the results will be provided to you via email if you wish.

Conditions of participation

• I understand that participation in this study is completely voluntary; whether or not I choose to participate in this study will have no effect on my standing on the team or the services I currently receive as a volleyball player.
• I also understand that I may withdraw from the study at any time, without penalty and without explanation.
• I understand that any information obtained during this study that could identify me personally will remain completely confidential unless I specifically allow it to be shared.
• I also understand that once the requirements of participation have been fulfilled, all references associating my name to questionnaire data generated by me will be destroyed and that the questionnaire data generated by me will be identifiable only by numeric code.
• I understand that the researchers may retain this anonymously coded data indefinitely.
• I agree to allow my interview to be audio recorded. I understand that the interviewer will confirm my agreement prior to the start of my interview.
• I understand that the audio recording of my interview will be transcribed, but that I will not be identified by name on any transcripts; if need be, I will be given a pseudonym.
• I understand that once the audio recording of my interview has been transcribed, the audio recording will be destroyed.
• I understand that my anonymously coded questionnaire data and my transcribed interview data will be kept locked in the office of Drs. Shields or Kruisselbrink.
• I understand that the researchers will provide me with a summary of the results of the questionnaires via email if I wish, but that my contact information will not be linked to any data I generate.
• I understand that counseling services will be available to me through Student Services in the event that participation in this study in any way produces a negative emotional response that I find overly challenging to deal with.

By clicking “I agree” below, you have read and understood the research description provided and are fully aware of what will be asked of you. You understand that participation is strictly voluntary, you may withdraw from the study at any time without penalty and that you may choose to not complete the questionnaires even once you have started completing it. Thank you for your time.