Effects of Instruction of Communication Skills on Coach-Athlete Relationships

The primary objective of this research was to study the effects of a concise (4 hours) educational class of communication skills on coach-athlete relationship. The second­ary objective was to find out that differences in coach-athletes relationship are sport-related or individual-related. Two standard questionnaires specialized on coach-athlete relationship were translated and validated. It was a quasi-experimental research. Three female national champion teams were randomly assigned to 3 experim­ental groups. Firstly, CART-Q and QRI questionnaires were administered as pre-tests. Then, the communication skills class was carried out and after two weeks post-tests were re-adminis­tered. The participants of groups 1 and 2 used their education to improve their relationship, whilst the coach of the third group used it to deteriorate her relationship. Depending on statistical aims, the data were analyzed by different ANOVA and multiple regression analyses. The results showed that At the point of pre-test, coach-athlete relationship was different in 3 groups. There was a significant interaction between changes of three groups, showing improvement in swimmers, more improvement in basketball players, and declination in karate player. The findings suggested that quality of coach-athlete relationship depends on their individual characteristics and not their type of sport. A concise educational class of communication skills may be used to improve coach-athletes relationships. A simultaneous education for both coach and athletes is more effective than isolated education for one of them.