Siv Gjesdal

• Jørgensen, Thomas Mangor; Abrahamsen, Frank Eirik & Gjesdal, Siv (2026). Coach- and Peer-Created Motivational Climate Profiles in Youth Sport: Associations With Enjoyment and Intentions to Continue. European Journal of Sport Science (EJSS). ISSN 1746-1391. 26(9). doi: 10.1002/ejsc.70229. Full text in Research Archive
• Seippel, Ørnulf Nicolay; Gjesdal, Siv; Bjørndal, Christian Thue & Waldenstrøm, Stein Robin Syse (2026). The grass is greener on the other side! On club transfers in Norwegian youth football. Managing Sport and Leisure. ISSN 2375-0472. doi: 10.1080/23750472.2026.2689644. Full text in Research Archive
• Gjesdal, Siv; Jørgensen, Thomas Mangor & Bjørndal, Christian Thue (2026). Longitudinal changes in basic psychological needs and performance perceptions in specialized sport schools at the lower secondary level. Psychology of Sport And Exercise. ISSN 1469-0292. 87, p. 1–10. doi: 10.1016/j.psychsport.2026.103238. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Self-determination theory (SDT) provides a valuable framework for understanding psychosocial environments within specialized sport schools. This study examined the development of satisfaction with the needs for autonomy (i.e. volition, locus of causality and choice), competence, and relatedness, along with perceived performance, among students in specialized sports schools at the lower secondary level. A total of 239 sport school students (39.3% female, 2.9% other) reported their need satisfaction each fall and spring semester across three years. Using latent growth curve modeling, the findings revealed a complex pattern: while average levels of basic psychological need satisfaction remained relatively stable, perceived performance showed a modest decline over time. In addition, there was significant individual variability in change over time for the three basic psychological needs. Higher initial levels of need satisfaction were associated with higher initial perceived performance, and those with greater perceived performance exhibited more stability in their perceived locus of causality. Notably, perceived performance was positively linked to competence satisfaction, while its association with relatedness reflected stable between-person differences rather than developmental trends. Gender differences also emerged, as boys reported higher competence satisfaction and more positive changes in perceived locus of causality and relatedness over time. However, the trajectories of competence satisfaction and perceived performance were similar for both genders. These findings underscore the nuanced interplay between basic psychological needs and performance perceptions, highlighting the importance of individual variability and gender differences in shaping sport school student’ experiences.

• Saarinen, Milla; McDougall, Michael; Gjesdal, Siv & Bjørndal, Christian Thue (2026). Student-Athletes’ Mental Health in the European Sport School Context: A Scoping Review. Journal of Clinical Sport Psychology (JCSP). ISSN 1932-9261. 20(2), p. 266–296. doi: 10.1123/jcsp.2024-0029. Full text in Research Archive
• Amundsen, Roar; Sjølie, Emilie Scholten; McKay, Carly; Gjesdal, Siv; Grindem, Hege & Myklebust, Grethe [Show all 8 contributors for this article] (2026). The Development, Validation and Reliability of the Sports Injury Prevention Behavior Determinants Questionnaire. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports. ISSN 0905-7188. 36(7). doi: 10.1111/sms.70329. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  ABSTRACT Valid data on behavioral determinants are essential to enhance adherence to injury prevention (IP) programs. This study reports the development and validation of the Sports Injury Prevention Behavior Determinants Questionnaire for youth handball and football players (12–17 years) and their coaches. Using the Health Action Process Approach framework, we followed consensus‐based guidelines, including conceptualisation, focus groups, cognitive interviews, and a cross‐sectional study for both players and coaches. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), reliability testing, and principal component analysis (PCA) were performed for the coach questionnaire only. Focus groups identified training load management, pain and injury management, and injury prevention training as key IP elements. These were integrated with relevant HAPA constructs during item development and refined through cognitive interviews. A cross‐sectional study (337 coaches, 528 players) and CFA informed the final coach version, which was subsequently evaluated using a test–retest design. PCA included 59 coaches while the reliability analysis included 45 due to drop out. Intraclass correlation coefficients indicated good reliability (> 0.75) for all constructs in the coach questionnaire, although self‐efficacy constructs showed small systematic differences (≤ 0.04; 95% CI 0.00 to 0.06). PCA led to minor refinements of the questionnaire. The Sports Injury Prevention Behavior Determinants Questionnaire is the first validated tool to assess IP behavioral determinants in youth handball and football coaches, with applicability across team sports. The player version followed the initial steps to ensure good face and content validity but requires refinement based on CFA and further reliability testing and PCA.

• Martins, Ricardo; Pattison, William; Davies, Katie Fitton; Smith, Rose; Gjesdal, Siv & Tallis, Jason [Show all 8 contributors for this article] (2026). Children's experiences of increasing competitiveness in football: A Write-Draw-Show-Tell study across developmental stages. International journal of sports science & coaching. ISSN 1747-9541. doi: 10.1177/17479541261455252. Full text in Research Archive
• Jørgensen, Thomas Mangor; Erickson, Karl; Abrahamsen, Frank Eirik & Gjesdal, Siv (2026). Changes in perceptions of coach- and peer-created motivational climates during the children-to-youth sport transition. Journal of Applied Sport Psychology. ISSN 1041-3200. doi: 10.1080/10413200.2026.2661050. Full text in Research Archive
• Gjesdal, Siv; Sølvberg, Nina & Fasting, Kari (2026). Typologies of co-occurring experiences of interpersonal violence among adults in Norwegian sport. Psychology of Sport And Exercise. ISSN 1469-0292. 85. doi: 10.1016/j.psychsport.2026.103101. Full text in Research Archive
• Gjesdal, Siv; Kristensen, Jan Åge; Saarinen, Milla Saara Anneli & Bjørndal, Christian Thue (2026). A conditional process analysis of general self-esteem in student-athletes in lower secondary sport schools. Frontiers in Psychology. 17, p. 1–10. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1771557. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Objective: Specialised sport schools at the lower secondary level aim to support the holistic development of young athletes. Consequently, understanding how to influence student-athletes’ self-perceptions both inside and outside of the sporting context is of interest. Grounded in Achievement goal theory, this study examined whether achievement goal orientations were related to self-esteem, both directly and indirectly through perceived sport performance. Additionally, we investigated whether athletic identity moderated the indirect relationship between achievement goal orientations and self-esteem. Methods: The sample comprised 579 student-athletes aged 12 to 16 years (Mage = 13.93; SD = 0.85), recruited from seven Norwegian lower secondary sport schools. All participants responded to items concerning their general self-esteem, goal orientations, perceived performance and athletic identity. Results: Regression analyses revealed that athletes’ achievement goal orientations were directly and indirectly (via perceived performance) related to their self-esteem. However, athletic identity did not moderate the indirect relationship. Conclusion: Overall, the findings suggest that student-athletes who view success as doing their very best tend to be more satisfied with their own sport performance and experience higher self-esteem. Conversely, athletes who view success as being the best are generally less satisfied with their performance and report lower self-esteem. Notably, these relationships do not appear to be stronger in athletes with a stronger identification with their athlete role.

• Lian, Ingrid; Gjesdal, Siv; Fletcher, Yanique & Jordet, Geir (2026). Body language on the pitch: insights into soccer players’ nonverbal behavior at the FIFA men’s World Cup 2022. Frontiers in Psychology. 16. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1699943. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Communication is an important aspect in team sports, yet there is a lack of studies looking at intrateam communication during performance. The aim of this study was therefore to explore soccer players’ use of nonverbal behavior (NVB) at the FIFA men’s World Cup 2022. A total of 18,031 distinct NVBs were registered for 143 individual players from 33 games, representing all 32 participating national teams. NVB was divided into tactical and emotional categories. Several statistical tests were performed to investigate the relationship between NVB and potential constraints (e.g., game stage, game halves, roles in a team, geographical location of the national team). The results showed that players displayed more tactical than emotional NVB, and more negative than positive emotional NVB. Moreover, there were differences in NVB expression based on positional roles, but not between captains and other players. NVB expressions changed throughout a game but did not differ between group stage games and knockout games. There were no differences in NVB expressions based on the end result of a game. The findings provide the first empirical examination of quantified NVB of soccer players from the World Cup context. The methodology and findings can be useful for soccer managers, psychologists, researchers and analysts to include psychological measures into game analyses.

• Gjesdal, Siv; Jordalen, Gro & Bjørndal, Christian Thue (2025). Norwegian student-athletes’ motivation for choosing lower secondary sport schools: exploring latent profiles and their relationships with outcomes. International Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology. ISSN 1612-197X. doi: 10.1080/1612197X.2025.2549889. Full text in Research Archive
• Jørgensen, Thomas Mangor; Abrahamsen, Frank Eirik & Gjesdal, Siv (2025). Young athletes’ social goals during the children-to-youth sport transition: A latent profile and latent transition analysis. Journal of Sports Sciences. ISSN 0264-0414. 44(2), p. 232–249. doi: 10.1080/02640414.2025.2575416. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  While the social aspect of sports is considered crucial for participation, the influence of social goals in motivating young athletes remains relatively unexplored. This study examined social goal profiles and their stability during Norway’s children-to-youth sport transition (CYT). This transition represents a shift towards a more performance-driven environment, which may cause changes in athletes’ motivation. We explored associations between social goal profiles and gender, expectations of success, and intention to continue. 329 athletes, aged 11–13, completed questionnaires before and after the transition. Using latent profile analysis, we identified three distinct social goal profiles: low, moderate, and high motivation through social goals. Latent transition analysis revealed substantial instability in profile membership across CYT. However, athletes in the high social goals profile demonstrated the greatest stability (39%), membership turnout (T1 = 68.8%, T2 = 44%), and higher expectations of success across both time points (X2 p < .05). Notably, gender did not predict membership in any profile, suggesting that social goal patterns are similar for boys and girls. No differences in intentions to continue were found across profiles. These findings enhance our understanding of social motivation in young athletes, emphasising the dynamic nature of social goals during CYT.

• Sjølie, Emilie Scholten; McKay, Carly M.; Gjesdal, Siv; Grindem, Hege; Myklebust, Grethe & Bjørndal, Christian Thue [Show all 7 contributors for this article] (2025). What lies behind injury prevention behaviour in youth handball and football? A cross-sectional nationwide study of behavioural constructs in 865 coaches and players. Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport. ISSN 1440-2440. doi: 10.1016/j.jsams.2025.10.009. Full text in Research Archive
• Gilson, Laurens; Martins, Ricardo; Bjørndal, Christian Thue; Rudd, James Robert; Gjesdal, Siv & Beuckels, Maxime [Show all 20 contributors for this article] (2025). Fundamental movement skills in grassroots soccer: A comparative study of coaches’ perceptions and practices in 9 European countries. International journal of sports science & coaching. ISSN 1747-9541. 20(5), p. 1814–1827. doi: 10.1177/17479541251336673. Full text in Research Archive
• Gjesdal, Siv (2025). A Coach Perspective on a Mastery Motivational Climate in the Competitive Youth Soccer Context. The Sport Psychologist. ISSN 0888-4781. 39(1), p. 46–55. doi: 10.1123/tsp.2023-0110. Full text in Research Archive
• Lian, Ingrid; Gjesdal, Siv & Jordet, Geir (2025). Body language in elite soccer: comparing tactical and emotional nonverbal expressions using different video sources for investigation. International Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology. ISSN 1612-197X. doi: 10.1080/1612197X.2025.2453808. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  The aim of this study was to explore elite-level soccer players’ use of nonverbal behaviour (NVB) during real matches and compare different video sources (i.e., tactical, broadcast, and close-up) in terms of investigating this topic. The NVBs of eight elite players representing their national team (and a top-5 European league team) were analysed during one game. NVB was divided into tactical and emotional categories. Two Wilcoxon tests were performed. The results indicate that players displayed significantly more tactical NVB (Median = 146) than emotional NVB (Median = 52.50), Z = −2.52, p = .012, r = .89 but that they did not differ significantly in terms of positive and negative emotional NVB. Furthermore, there were more registrations of NVB captured from the close-up view videos as compared to both the tactical view (77.5% of the close-up view) and broadcast view (38.4% of the close-up view). Specifically, a statistically significant difference was found between close-up view and broadcast view, but not between close-up view and tactical view for most of the NVB categories. The findings demonstrate how players differ in their displays of tactical and emotional NVB, as well as how different video sources enable us to capture different amounts of NVB.

• Ommundsen, Yngvar; Ivarsson, Andreas; Wold, Bente; Gjesdal, Siv & Solstad, Bård Erlend (2024). The relationship between young football players’ psychological health resources and the psychological quality of their football experiences: A cross-sectional study. PLOS ONE. 19(8). doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0305978. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Studies taking a person-centred statistical approach when examining young peoples` psychological experiences in sport is scarce. The main aim of the present study was to examine the relationships between young football players’ psychological health resources and the psychological quality of their football-specific experiences. Data for this cross-sectional study was collected as part of the [BLINDED] arm of the larger Promoting Adolescence Physical Activity (PAPA) multi-centre project [1]. The sample consisted of young [BLINDED] male (n = 814), female (n = 576), grassroots football players between the ages of 10 and 15 years (M = 12.5 years, SD = 1.1 years). We performed a latent profile analysis using Mplus 8.4 using a robust maximum likelihood estimator (MLR). Players with the most resourceful psychological health profile experienced more coach social support (mean = 4.38) than did those with a less well-off resourceful profile (mean = 3.79) and those with the least well-off profile (mean = 3.28). Players with the most resourceful profile also felt a stronger sense of unity among their teammates and they enjoyed football more than those least well off (mean = 4.43 vrs. mean = 3.12 and mean = 4.74 vrs 3.50. respectively). Parallel between-profile differences were also found for the players’ general health resources including perceived life satisfaction, general health and family affluence as covariates. Findings suggest that variations in young players’ psychological health profiles and their general health resources play a role in the quality of their football-specific psychological experiences.

• Jørgensen, Thomas Mangor; Gjesdal, Siv & Abrahamsen, Frank Eirik (2024). Understanding enjoyment within the context of the children-to-youth sport transition in Norwegian soccer: A mixed methods study. Psychology of Sport And Exercise. ISSN 1469-0292. 75. doi: 10.1016/j.psychsport.2024.102723. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Enjoyment has emerged as a critical factor in understanding dropout and participation in the Norwegian youth soccer context (Persson et al., 2020; Solstad et al., 2022). Moreover, the children-to-youth sport transition within this context represents a shift in underlying values and aims (Hjelseth, 2016). The purpose of this mixed methods study was thus to investigate youth soccer players’ enjoyment within the children-to-youth sport transition context. The quantitative phase consisted of 214 soccer players (28.2 % girls, Mage = 12.56 years) who completed a questionnaire, and structural equation modeling was used to analyze the data. The quantitative data informed the selection of participants for qualitative interviews in the next phase. A total of 10 soccer players (6 boys and 4 girls) who had reported different levels of enjoyment were interviewed. Coding reliability thematic analysis was applied to analyze the qualitative data. The results indicated that expectation of success and the mastery-approach goal had a positive relationship with enjoyment. The qualitative data further revealed that love for the sport, being with friends, and learning and mastery were sources of enjoyment for the players. A key finding was that players experienced increased seriousness in the transition, which may have a negative impact on their enjoyment. In conclusion, coaches should emphasize players’ expectations of success, learning, and intrapersonal mastery, while creating a team culture that values friendship and passion for the sport. These strategies can enhance enjoyment, potentially sustaining youth participation in soccer during the children-to-youth sport transition.

• Bjørndal, Christian Thue; Gjesdal, Siv & Toering, Tryntsje Tsjitske (2022). Transforming coach education for the 21st century. In Petry, Karen & Jong, Johan de (Ed.), Education in sport and physical activity : future directions and global perspectives. Routledge. ISSN 9780367433604. p. 228–237. doi: 10.4324/9781003002666-24. Full text in Research Archive
• Gjesdal, Siv; Bjørndal, Christian T. & Luteberget, Live (2022). The relationship between the perception of reduced performance due to injury or illness and basic psychological need satisfaction in Norwegian youth elite handball: a cross-lagged panel analysis. Scandinavian Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology (SJSEP). 3, p. 76–82. doi: 10.7146/sjsep.v3i.120880. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  This study investigated the relationship between perceived reduction in performance due to injury or illness (RPII) and basic psychological need satisfaction in youth elite handball. Participants were 174 elite youth handball players between 15 to 18 years of age, from five different sport schools. It was a quantitative study, with two time points (one week apart), resulting in a crossed-lagged structural equation model. Competence and relatedness satisfaction were found invariant across the two time points, autonomy was not. The structural model showed good fit ((S- B χ²) = [df = 130, N= 174] = 182.327, p < .0017; CFI = .96; RMSEA = .05 [.03-.06], and SRMR = .08). Competence (β= .64, 95%CI: .51, .76), relatedness (β= .77, 95%CI: .66, .88) and RPII (β= .51, 95%CI: .37, .66) showed moderate temporal stability. When accounting for previous levels of the basic psychological needs, RPII negatively predicted competence (β= -.20, 95%CI: -.35, .83) and relatedness (β= -.16, 95%CI: -.30, -.01). Taken together, these findings suggest that experiencing RPII can have implications for basic psychological need satisfaction in youth elite handball, showing that factors other than psychosocial ones may play a role therein.

• Gjesdal, Siv & Hedenborg, Susanna (2021). Engaging Minority Girls in Organized Youth Sport in Norway: A Case Study of a Project That Worked. Frontiers in Sports and Active Living. 3. doi: 10.3389/fspor.2021.781142. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Sport participation is considered a positive pastime endower that can offer a range of positive outcomes for children and youths. It has also increasingly been recognized as a potentially important context for fostering social inclusion for minority youths. Yet across Europe, minority girls are participating in sport to a lesser degree than their majority counterparts. Using self-determination theory (SDT) and the social ecological model as the framework, this study explored the reasons why a particular project aimed at recruiting minority girls to organized team sport succeeded in doing just that. A case study design was adopted to provide an in-depth analysis of how this project satisfied the basic psychological needs of minority girls. Nine girls, four parents, two coaches, and two project team members were interviewed about the project and sport participation in general. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Two main themes were identified, a sense of being facilitated and inclusion in the sport environment. The former emphasized the importance of aligning the participation with the girls' cultural norms and values, particularly in the beginning. It also included practical issues such as finances, reminding us that participation in sport is not just a motivational issue. The latter focused on the importance of including the girls in the general sports program, regardless of their athletic abilities at the onset of their participation and creating a mastery environment. Moreover, by removing remediable differences between the minority and majority girls, such as having the right equipment, seemed important to fostering a sense of belonging in the sports club. Additionally, establishing meaningful relationships with coaches and majority counterparts seemed to be a major motivating factor.

• Bjørndal, Christian T.; Bache-Mathiesen, Lena Kristin; Gjesdal, Siv; Moseid, Christine Holm; Myklebust, Grethe & Luteberget, Live (2021). An Examination of Training Load, Match Activities, and Health Problems in Norwegian Youth Elite Handball Players Over One Competitive Season. Frontiers in Sports and Active Living. 3. doi: 10.3389/fspor.2021.635103. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Talent development is integral to the policy and organizational practice of competitive sport, but has also been associated with excessive amounts of training and competition, and athlete injuries and illnesses. The lack of available prospective data on the training and match activities of youth athletes and their health problems is therefore of concern. The aim of this study was two-fold: (a) to examine the amount and frequency of training load, match activities, injury and illness incidence, and prevalence among Norwegian youth elite handball players over the course of the 2018–2019 competitive season; and (b) to explore whether the injury rates are related to the sex or competition level of players, or their membership of the youth international team. We recruited 205 handball players (64% female, 36% male), aged 15–18 years (17.2 years ± 0.9) from five different sport school programs in southeast Norway. Data were collected daily from September 2018 to May 2019, during the competitive handball season. The variables included types of athlete activities, the number of activities, the rating of perceived exertion (RPE), and the duration of training and matches. Injury and illness data were collected weekly using the Oslo Sports Trauma Research Center (OSTRC) questionnaire. The mean number of matches per week per player was 0.9 ± 1.29; the number of weekly training events was 6.1 ± 4.4; and the mean weekly session RPE was 986 ± 1 412 arbitrary units. The players reported a total of 472 injuries, and the mean number of injuries per player was 2.3 ± 2.9. The results demonstrated a 53% weekly injury prevalence, of which 38% were categorized as substantial injuries. Male players and players who participated at the highest level of senior competition and/or the youth international team reported significantly lower weekly incidences of health problems, compared to other players. Our findings showed that players enrolled in sport school programs are exposed to high training and competition loads, and that both general and substantial health problems are common. The potential implications for talent development and future research are discussed.

• Bjørndal, Christian T. & Gjesdal, Siv (2020). The role of sport school programmes in athlete development in Norwegian handball and football. European Journal for Sport and Society (EJSS). ISSN 1613-8171. 17(4), p. 374–23. doi: 10.1080/16138171.2020.1792131. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Norwegian sport school programmes are increasing in popularity and making significant contributions to athlete success. The aim of this study was to investigate how school coaches perceive the role of sport school programmes in Norwegian handball and football, and how coaches attempt to promote athlete development. The study was based on group and individual interviews with 25 coaches from 10 different sport programmes in upper secondary schools. The challenges and opportunities experienced by the school coaches related primarily to the interactions between athletes and the different organisational actors within the talent development system, and to the potential risks associated with these. No single stakeholder in the Norwegian system has sole responsibility for talent identification or development. Instead, athlete development in individual and team sports is located and organised within a multi-centric organisational model of club, school, regional and national association-driven activities. Policymakers and practitioners therefore need to strengthen the formal and informal lines of communication between sport school programmes and club teams. Coaches need to ensure that the academic syllabus does not constrain the opportunities available for athlete development at the individual level. Coaches should also maintain flexible approaches to athlete development and practice.

• Gjesdal, Siv; Haug, Ellen & Ommundsen, Yngvar (2018). A Conditional Process Analysis of the Coach-Created Mastery Climate, Task Goal Orientation, and Competence Satisfaction in Youth Soccer: The Moderating Role of Controlling Coach Behavior. Journal of Applied Sport Psychology. ISSN 1041-3200. 31(2), p. 203–217. doi: 10.1080/10413200.2017.1413690. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  The purpose of this study was to investigate controlling coach behavior as a boundary condition for the relationship between a mastery climate, task goal orientation, and competence satisfaction in youth soccer. Latent conditional process modeling was conducted with a sample of 1,119 female and male youth soccer players 10–15 years of age. Results indicated that the interaction between controlling coach behavior and coach-created mastery climate accounted for 4% variance in task goal orientation. Furthermore, the indirect link between coach-created mastery climate and competence, through task goal orientation, was significant at all levels of controlling coach behavior, yet decreased from low (–1 SD; B = .40, 95% confidence interval [CIBC] [.28, .52]), to moderate (M; B = .35, 95% CIBC [.26, .46]), to high levels (+1 SD; B = .31, 95% CIBC [.22, .41]). Findings are interpreted as supporting the idea that controlling coach behavior abates the internalization of mastery values, thereby undermining the relationship between the coach-created mastery climate and players’ competence satisfaction.

• Gjesdal, Siv; Wold, Bente & Ommundsen, Yngvar (2018). Promoting additional activity in youth soccer: a half-longitudinal study on the influence of autonomy-supportive coaching and basic psychological need satisfaction. Journal of Sports Sciences. ISSN 0264-0414. 37(3), p. 268–276. doi: 10.1080/02640414.2018.1495394. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  This study investigated the relationships between perceptions of coach autonomy support, basic psychological need satisfaction and the frequency at which youth soccer players engage in additional soccer activity outside of team sessions. We employed structural equation modelling to test a two-wave (T1 and T2) half-longitudinal study to see if basic psychological need satisfaction mediated the relationship between coach autonomy support and additional soccer activity across a competitive season. The sample consisted of 527 youth soccer players, aged 10–15 years. Results revealed moderate to strong temporal stability for autonomy, competence, relatedness and frequency of additional soccer activity. Furthermore, no support is offered for mediation as T1 coach autonomy support was not related to any of the three basic needs at T2 when accounting for their T1 levels. However, a positive relationship between T1 autonomy and T2 additional soccer activity emerged. This suggests that those who experience high levels of autonomy in the team setting at the start of the season report an increased frequency of additional activity at the end of the season. Results are discussed in light of the Self-Determination Theory and the Trans-Contextual Model.

• Gjesdal, Siv; Stenling, Andreas; Solstad, Bård Erlend & Ommundsen, Yngvar (2018). A study of coach‐team perceptual distance concerning the coach‐created motivational climate in youth sport. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports. ISSN 0905-7188. 29(1), p. 132–143. doi: 10.1111/sms.13306. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  The purpose of this study was to examine whether coach‐team perceptual distance regarding the coach‐created motivational climate related to achievement goal orientations and affective responses. To this end, we used polynomial regression analysis with response surface methodology. The sample consisted of 1359 youth soccer players (57.8% male; Mage = 11.81 years, SD = 1.18), belonging to 87 different teams (Msize = 16.47), and 87 coaches (94.6% male, Mage = 42 years, SD = 5.67). Results showed that team perceptions of a coach‐created mastery climate were positively related to team‐rated task goal orientation and enjoyment, whereas team perceptions of a coach‐created performance climate were positively related to team‐rated ego goal orientation and anxiety, and negatively related to team‐rated enjoyment. These relationships were generally stronger with higher levels of perceptual agreement between the coach and the team. In situations of perceptual disagreement, the most negative effects were seen when the coach held a more favorable perception of the motivational climate compared to the team. The findings highlight the importance of perceptual agreement between the coach and his/her team, contributing to the literature focusing on the effects of the coach‐created motivational climate.

• Gjesdal, Siv; Appleton, Paul R. & Ommundsen, Yngvar (2017). Both the “What” and “Why” of Youth Sports Participation Matter; a Conditional Process Analysis. Frontiers in Psychology. 8. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2017.00659. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  This study builds on previous research combining achievement goal orientation from Achievement Goal Theory and motivational regulation from Self-Determination Theory. The aim was to assess the combination of the “what” and “why” of youth sport activity, and how it relates to the need for competence and self-esteem. Achievement goal orientation, specifically task and ego, was employed to represent the “what”, whilst intrinsic and external regulation reflected the “why”. Based on a sample of 496 youth sports participants, structural equation modeling with a bootstrapping procedure was used to examine whether the indirect relationship between achievement goal orientation and self-esteem was conditional to motivational regulation. The results show partial support for the conditional process models. Specifically, task orientation was indirectly linked with self-esteem through competence need, and the relationship was stronger with higher levels of intrinsic regulation for sport. Furthermore, ego orientation was negatively associated with self-esteem through a positive relationship with competence frustration. However, this relationship emerged only for those higher in intrinsic regulation. External regulation did not emerge as a moderator, but presented a positive relationship with competence frustration. Findings are discussed in light of both Achievement Goal Theory and Self-Determination Theory, and underline the importance of considering both the “what” and “why” when attempting to understand motivation in youth sport.

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• Sjølie, Emilie Scholten; McKay, Carly; Gjesdal, Siv; Grindem, Hege; Myklebust, Grethe & Bjørndal, Christian Thue [Show all 7 contributors for this article] (2024). Targeting injury prevention behavior in youth handball and football: perspectives from 528 players and 337 coaches – a cross sectional study. British Journal of Sports Medicine. ISSN 0306-3674. 58(Suppl 2), A18-A18. 10.1136/bjsports-2024-IOC.31. Full text in Research Archive
• Sjølie, Emilie Scholten; McKay, Carly; Gjesdal, Siv; Grindem, Hege; Myklebust, Grethe & Bjørndal, Christian Thue [Show all 7 contributors for this article] (2024). Targeting injury prevention behavior in youth handball and football: perspectives from 528 players and 337 coaches - a cross sectional study. Full text in Research Archive
• Sjølie, Emilie Scholten; McKay, Carly; Gjesdal, Siv; Grindem, Hege; Myklebust, Grethe & Bjørndal, Christian Thue [Show all 7 contributors for this article] (2024). Injury prevention behavior in youth handball and football: perspectives from 528 players and 337 coaches - a cross sectional study. Full text in Research Archive
• Sjølie, Emilie Scholten; McKay, Carly; Gjesdal, Siv; Grindem, Hege; Myklebust, Grethe & Bjørndal, Christian Thue [Show all 7 contributors for this article] (2023). Similar injury prevention behavior in youth handball and football: a cross-sectional study of 865 coaches and players. Full text in Research Archive
• Sjølie, Emilie Scholten; Gjesdal, Siv; McKay, Carly; Grindem, Hege; Myklebust, Grethe & Bjørndal, Christian Thue [Show all 7 contributors for this article] (2022). Holdninger og atferd: skader og skadeforebygging. Full text in Research Archive
• Berntsen, Hedda & Gjesdal, Siv (2015). Bredde er topp! Full text in Research Archive
• Gagnås, Henrik Larsen; Sogn, Hanne Elisabeth; Gjesdal, Siv & Bjørndal, Christian Thue (2025). Treneren i sentrum! En tverrfaglig kunnskapsoppsummering. Norges idrettshøgskole. doi: https:/www.nih.no/forskning/sentre/fobu/rapporter/treneren-i-sentrum---en-tverrfaglig-kunnskapsoppsummering.pdf. Full text in Research Archive
• Fasting, Kari; Sølvberg, Nina & Gjesdal, Siv (2024). Krenkende opplevelser i idretten. Unge voksnes erfaringer med psykiske krenkelser, fysiske krenkelser og seksuell trakassering. Akilles forlag. Full text in Research Archive
• Gjesdal, Siv (2018). Motivation in youth sport : A study of athletes’ motivation, perceptions of coach behavior, self-perceptions, affective responses and behavior. Norges idrettshøgskole. ISSN 9788250205611. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Paper I: Gjesdal, S., Appleton, P.R. & Ommundsen, Y. (2017). Both the “what” and “why” of youth sports participation matter; a conditional process analysis. Frontiers in Psychology, 8, 659, 1-12. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2017.00659.

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