Análisis de la motivación y las creencias irracionales que influyen en el desempeño deportivo en los triatletas ecuatorianos seleccionados de las ciudades de Quito y Cuenca de la categoría sub-23 durante el período 2024

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to analyze the motivation and irrational beliefs that influence the sports performance of triathletes selected from the cities of Quito and Cuenca. These factors can generate well-being or discomfort depending on the levels of motivation that they present, since they can abandon sports. Likewise, irrational beliefs are an obstacle to not obtaining results, limiting the athlete's performance. The type of research used is mixed, using the exploratory cross-sectional type of research with the snowball method. The variables were analyzed through instruments such as the Sports Motivation Scale (SMS/EMD) questionnaire and the semi-structured interview. For its application, a sample size of 20 people was determined, five males and five females from each city. The profile of the athletes are young adults between 18 and 40 years of age who compete and train in triathlon. The results showed that extrinsic motivation had an influence in Cuenca with a percentile of 50 and in Quito, non-motivation with a percentile of 70. In terms of irrational beliefs, anxiety and/or stress and catastrophic thoughts predominated in both cities, but in Cuenca, their main irrational belief was anxiety and/or stress. In Quito, their main irrational belief was catastrophic thoughts. According to the results, it was possible to identify that these psychological factors have decreased and have harmed their sports performance