Objectives: The purpose of this review was to synthesise contemporary research on
competitive sport motivation (1995-2016) with a view to identifying trends and gaps in
sample characteristics, research designs and analytical strategies, and classifying associated
topics.
Design: Narrative review
Method: Four databases were searched using a focused search strategy, leading to 63 studies
that met the inclusion criteria. These were then evaluated in five sections: Theoretical
Frameworks, Sample Characteristics, Research Designs, Analytical Strategies and Topics.
Results: A total of 63 studies comprising 12,440 participants were appraised. The average
sample size and participant age were 197 and 22.6 years, respectively. Just over half of the
studies described their sample as high-level. The majority of studies were quantitative and
employed a cross-sectional design. A range of innovative statistical analyses were used, with
structural equation modelling being increasingly adopted. In addition to studies focusing on
motivation as a stand-alone topic, researchers in the area also investigated its relationship
with motivational climate, burnout, doping, perfectionism, injury, and several other related
variables.
Conclusions: After reviewing the body of research on this specific topic area, promising
directions for future research are presented. The focused approach particularly seeks to
encourage researchers to employ different methodologies, and prioritise underused topics in
future research on competitive athlete groups. Furthermore, the review points to several
practical implications for competitive sport stakeholders.