Influencia de los factores psicosociales en el proceso de adaptación al fútbol profesional desde una perspectiva holística

Abstract

The transition to professional sport is often seen by athletes as the most difficult transition and many of them confess that failed in this point. During last decade, studies in sports transitions have focused in athletes� development, considering them not only as athletic performers, but also as people who engage in sports and in other things in life.This thesis mainly aims to explore the psychosocial factors influencing athletes facing the transition to professional football. The thesis is divided into two studies: a) a qualitative study that exploring the challenges and coping resources of 16 players who passed the transition to professional and, b) a quantitative study that exploring how the expectation of achievements in different spheres life (sports, academic and private), passion, motivation, concentration and reflection have influence in young elite when they make that transition. The qualitative study was conducted through content analysis and quantitative study contains clusters analysis, MANOVA and structural equation modeling. This thesis confirms that footballers in transition face challenges both within the field and outside it. They use sporting, psychological and social coping resources. On the other hand, it notes that players that not only want to become professionals but also raise achievements in theirs academics get and private lifes, have a healthier profile regarding to motivational processes as passion, motivation and satisfaction of basic psychological needs. This could help not only outside but also within the field, through their influence on concentration disruption and reflection on the tasks to develop.