An Examination of the Differences in Flow between Individual and Team Athletes

Abstract

The purpose of this exploratory study was to investigate differences between the flow experiences of NCAA Division I team athletes versus individual athletes. A volunteer sample of 104 collegiate athletes completed a 42-item flow questionnaire. Multiple linear regressions showed mean flow scores for team athletes were significantly higher than individual athletes (β = -1.66, p = 0.004), with an R2 value of 0.03. The type of sport was a significant predictor of three of the nine dimensions of flow, with the largest difference explaining 9% of the variance. The results of this study are unique and answer the repeated call in the literature for team flow research. In summary, team sport athletes experienced total flow at a higher overall rate than individual sport athletes, allowing for the conclusion that team sport athletes can and do experience flow.

Keywords

• flow
• athlete
• peak performance
• in the zone