Perceived Competence as a Mediator of the Relationship Between High Risk Sports Participation and Self-Esteem

This field study tested the relevance of the hypothesis that perceived competence mediates the effects of participation in risk recreation or sports on self-esteem. A theoretical and operational distinction was made between general and specific perceived competence. To test the hypothesis, 95 rock climbers were interviewed before the day's climb and 64 after the day's climb; in addition, 23 members of a climbing club were asked to fill out the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale. The general perceived competence was not significantly influenced by the day's climb, nor did it contribute significantly to self-esteem. Similarly, the number of climbing trips per year and number of years of climbing experience failed to increase self-esteem. Instead, it was the perceived competence with a specific climbing occasion that increased self-esteem significantly. If generalizeable, the results suggest that to increase self-esteem, sports and recreation programs should be so planned that they facilitate the acquisition of new skills or advancement to a higher level of skill in a familiar activity.