Risky decision-making behavior among junior athletes

Abstract

This study performed a retrospective analysis of risky behavior and decision-making among junior athletes, identified statistically significant correlations, and determined differences in decision-making across groups with high, optimal, and low levels of risky behavior. Methods. The study involved 100 junior athletes. Of these, 47 competed for professional teams in the Premier League, Super League, and First League across team sports such as football, handball, and futsal, as well as fire-applied sports. The remaining 53 athletes participated in individual sports including freestyle wrestling, sambo, boxing, weightlifting, and track and field. Research variables were measured using validated, reliable, and representative psychodiagnostic tools. Results. Spearman's correlation analysis revealed a strong association between emotional and behavioral risk propensity (p < .001) and decision-making parameters related to constructive coping (vigilance) and unproductive coping (back-passing, procrastination, and hypervigilance). It was found that tolerance of ambiguity performs a mediating function. It was underscored that the mediation of tolerance in juniors’ sports activities contributes to manifesting the key parameters of risky behavior in decision-making – the Control-Regulatory Component of Risk and Vigilance. It was established that the group of junior athletes with optimal parameters of risky behavior (GII) has a significant superiority over their counterparts compared to the groups with low and high levels. Four statistical superiorities were identified in GII: two superiorities in the emotional component over GI (p = .014) and GIII (p < .001), one superiority in the behavioral component over GIII (p < .001), and one superiority in the control-regulatory component over GIII (p < .001). It was summarized that the emotional and behavioral components of high risk-propensity are the most dangerous components, which may not always entail vigilance. They are hardly amenable to self-control and self-regulation. Discussion and conclusions. It was substantiated that research into junior athletes’ risky behavior in decision-making is a successful attempt to establish significant correlations and superiorities of the studied parameters of decision-making: vigilance, back-passing, procrastination, and hypervigilance, determined by psychological regularities of adolescence, junior athletes’ stable characteristics that are actualized in extreme conditions of sports activities associated with such personality traits as impulsiveness, autonomy, maximalism, the desire for success, and the tendency to dominate. We recommend that the research findings be used to develop training programs for shaping the optimal profile of risk propensity and improving self-control and self-regulation in sports activities.