A comparison of the personality traits of college coaches.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine and compare similarities and differences in the personality traits of college coaches, regardless of their sex or the type of sport they coach. The assumption that particular sports attract different personality types or that men and women coaches differ in personality traits simply because of gender has not been adequately supported by research. It needs to be determined if an analysis of personality traits can lead to a profile of a coaching personality. In general, it can be assumed that there is a characteristic coaching personality if there are consistent similarities in personality traits of college coaches, regardless of their sex or the type of sport they coach. Forty-five coaches completed the Edwards Personal Preference Schedule. A comparison of the scores from the EPPS was statistically analyzed in three categories: male coaches vs. female coaches; individual sports coaches vs. team sports coaches; and contact sports coaches vs. noncontact sports coaches. The statistical tool was the analysis of variance at the .05 level of significance. The comparison of the coaches of contact sports vs. the coaches of noncontact sports showed that there were no significant differences in personality traits. However, the comparisons of male coaches vs. female coaches and the coaches of individual sports vs. the coaches of team sports showed significant differences in three of the fifteen personality traits tested in both categories. The results are as follows: 1. Male vs. female coaches were different at the a. Dominance variable (F1 43=7.9666), b. Change variable (Fl 43=9.1993), c. Aggression variable (F1•43=6.5605) 2. Individual vs. team sports coaches were different at the a. Intraception variable (Fl 43=5.3133), b. Nurturance variable (F1,43=4.1768), c. Endurance variable (F1,43=5.7538)