Enrique Flórez-Gil *, Víctor Martín ** and Iago Portela-Pino ***
(*) Faculty of Physical Activity and Sports Sciences, VALFIS Research Group, Institute of Biomedicine (IBIOMED), Universidad de León, 24007 León, Spain
(**) Faculty of Health Science, Universidad Isabel I, Burgos, Spain
(***) Department of General and Specific Didactics and Theory of Education. Universidad de León, 24007 León, Spain
Citation
Flórez-Gil, E., Martín, V., Portela-Pino, I. (2026). Beyond the scoreboard: exploring the connection between self-esteem, team dynamics, and performance in women’s basketball players. International Journal of Sport Psychology, 57(4), 328-342. doi:10.7352/IJSP.2026.57.328
Abstract
Basketball is a complex sport in which its success or failure is affected by different physical, technical, tactical and psychological variables. This study investigated the relationship between self-esteem, teamwork, and technical and tactical performance in competitive women’s basketball players. Sixty-five women’s basketball players from four separate teams (Senior, U-18, U-16 and U-14) in the same club took part in the study. Data were collected using the Teamwork Skills Questionnaire (TSQ), Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES) and official performance statistics. Statistical analysis, including analysis of variance and Pearson correlation, revealed significant differences in adaptability and decision-making of U-18 players. The teamwork factor showed a significant trend, while moderate correlations were observed between self-esteem and teamwork dimensions, except for interpersonal skills. These findings highlight the importance of adaptability and decision-making in team dynamics and basketball performance. The study highlights the potential of training methods that emphasize cognitive and psychological development, such as differential learning, to improve decision-making, creativity, and team cohesion. By integrating psychological, social, and technical elements, this study provides valuable insight into optimizing individual and collective performance in competitive basketball.
Keywords: Self-esteem, Women’s basketball