Personality profiles of junior handball players: Differences as a function of age, gender, and playing positions.

The major aim of the study was to evaluate the personality characteristics of Hungarian junior handball players (N =164) as a function of age (14-18 years old), gender, and playing positions (goalkeeper, backcourt player, playmaker, winger, pivot). We focused on specific personality characteristics based on the Big Five Questionnaire (extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, neuroticism, and openness). Our main findings showed that (1) female handball players scored higher in terms of conscientiousness and openness, (2) the younger the players were, the more they were characterized by high energy, friendliness and openness, but also by higher neuroticism, (3) goalkeepers scored (marginally) higher on the Agreeableness and Neuroticism scales compared to the other groups. Additionally, goalkeepers and backcourt players scored higher on the Agreeableness scale, while playmakers, pivots and backcourt players showed differences in terms of openness. From a research perspective, these results advocate for taking personality factors into account when studying sport performance, whereas, from an applied perspective, the results can be useful for coaches looking to improve their positions selection procedures and effective training methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]