Multivariate Personality Analysis of Two Children's Hockey Teams

Abstract

This study described the characteristics of a select group of 8- to 11-yr.-old girls who play body-contact ice hockey. A survey of the literature indicated that there has been no study of the psychology of young girls who play this vigorous sport. Forty-four boys, 8- to 11-yr.-old, who also played recreational competitive hockey in the same locale, served as a comparison group. A demographic questionnaire and the Children's Personality Questionnaire were utilized to assess the children and multivariate discriminant analyses were employed to treat the data. While the boys did not differ significantly from their normative population, the girls differed significantly from their normative population, and from the male sample, being more tough-minded and enthusiastic. Factors tough-minded (I), enthusiastic (F), self-assured (O), reserved (A), and excitable (D) were the largest discriminators between the female and male profiles. These findings seemed to reinforce the gravitational hypothesis (Morgan, 1972) that girls with certain personality structures may elect to participate and remain in sports. It was concluded that the personality profile of these young girls was indicative of achieving children.