Asia Pacific Journal of Applied Sport Sciences
• Frequency : Published three times a year
• ISSN : 2733-4236 (print)
• ISSN : 2733-7170 (online)
• Year of Launching : 2020. 04. 30
• Editor-In-Chief : Prof. Brian H. Yim(Kent State University, USA)
Social Network Analysis of Trends in Research on Creatine Use in SportPan Ding , Zixiang Zhou , Wang Yuan , Kyungsik Kim 6(1) 1-23, 2025 DOI:10.46695/ASCS.6.1.1
TitleSocial Network Analysis of Trends in Research on Creatine Use in Sport
Pan Ding , Zixiang Zhou , Wang Yuan , Kyungsik Kim DOI:10.46695/ASCS.6.1.1 AbstractPURPOSE The aim was to explore trends in creatine research by analyzing keywords and identifying sub-areas in existing studies. METHOD We conducted social network analysis (SNA) on 472 papers related to creatine. All studies were in the Web of Science database and published between 2000 and 2019. We used the application Netminer to conduct keyword network analysis. RESULT We found that keywords such as “effect,” “supplementation,” “exercise,” “body,” “increase,” “performance,” “change,” “strength,” “muscle,” “training,” “mass,” “period,” “level,” and “difference” consistently appeared over the past 20 years, suggesting primary research topics related to creatine use in sport during this period. Certain keywords appeared only in specific periods; for example, “control” and “treatment” were prevalent in the 2000s, while keywords such as “resistance,” “baseline,” “value,” “ck,” “player,” “serum,” and “measure” appeared predominantly between 2010 and 2020. This shift points to the emergence of new research fields related to creatine use in sport. Based on topic modeling analysis, four sub-research domains emerged: (a) eight keywords comprising “Creatine and CK,” (b) nine keywords comprising “Creatine and Effect,” (c) seven keywords comprising “Creatine and Placebo Effect,” and (d) six keywords comprising “Creatine and Performance.” CONCLUSION SNA proved effective in identifying trends in research of creatine use in sport, delineating four sub-research fields that could guide future study. However, whether these four sub-research areas will develop into distinct, in-depth fields is uncertain. Key WordsCreatine, Research Trend, Social Network Analysis, Knowledge Structure |
The Relationship among Brand Personality, Self-Congruity, Attitude, and Purchase Intention in Sports BrandsZiwei Liang , Sihong Sui , Lian Wang , Qingyang Shao , Zhimin He 6(1) 23-61, 2025 DOI:10.46695/ASCS.6.1.2
TitleThe Relationship among Brand Personality, Self-Congruity, Attitude, and Purchase Intention in Sports Brands
Ziwei Liang , Sihong Sui , Lian Wang , Qingyang Shao , Zhimin He DOI:10.46695/ASCS.6.1.2 AbstractPURPOSE This study aimed to examine the relationships among brand personality (BP), self-congruity (SC), attitude (AT), and purchase intention (PI) in the context of sports brands, as well as the mediating roles of SC and AT in the relationship between BP and PI. METHODS This study conducted a questionnaire survey with consumers who purchased sporting goods online in Beijing, China. The survey was conducted online using WeChat between May 10 and June 10, 2024. Cluster random sampling was used to select participants from Chaoyang, Haidian, and Xicheng Districts, and 496 valid questionnaire responses obtained. Data were analyzed using structural equation modelling. RESULT The results demonstrated that BP positively affected SC and AT toward a brand. Moreover, SC and AT and were positively associated with PI, indicating their mediating roles in the relationship between BP and PI. CONCLUSION These findings highlight the complex and significant interactions among BP, SC, AT, and PI in the sports branding domain. These results suggest that brands can boost their market competitiveness by shaping distinct personality traits to attract target groups aligned with their image. Moreover, the four-variable model provides strategic guidance for sports brand management. Brand managers can use the relationships among BP, SC, AT, and PI to develop precise marketing strategies and achieve long-term success in a dynamic and competitive market environment. Key WordsSports Brands, Brand Personality, Self-congruity, Attitude, Purchase Intention |
Relationship between Coach Leadership, Satisfaction, and Persistence among University High-Level AthletesXiaoyan Chen , Yajun Han , Qiang Chen , Tong Zhao 6(1) 61-92, 2025 DOI:10.46695/ASCS.6.1.3
TitleRelationship between Coach Leadership, Satisfaction, and Persistence among University High-Level Athletes
Xiaoyan Chen , Yajun Han , Qiang Chen , Tong Zhao DOI:10.46695/ASCS.6.1.3 AbstractPURPOSE This study focuses on high-level university athletes, aiming to develop a model that links coach leadership style, satisfaction, and persistence. It emphasizes verifying the mediating effect of satisfaction in the relationship between leadership and persistence. METHOD High-level university athletes play an important role in Chinese sports. A questionnaire survey was administered to 600 college athletes at or above national level 2, who trained in school teams in Guangdong Province between January and February 2024. RESULT This study found that: training and guidance) significantly affected satisfaction and persistence, democratic behaviour directly affected persistence but did not affect satisfaction; authoritarian behaviour and social support had no significant effect on either outcome, and paternalism was only indirectly associated with persistence through satisfaction. CONCLUSION This shows that professional training and guidance and participatory decision-making of democratic behaviour are the core elements driving persistence in training, and satisfaction, as a mediating variable, plays a bridging role in the relationship between paternalism and persistence in training. Key WordsCoach Leadership Style, Satisfaction, University, High-Level Athletes, Persistence |