Exploring factors contributing to current versus former coaching status of women coaches: A social exchange theory perspective.

The percentage of women coaches at the helm of women’s sports teams has dropped from 90% in 1972, to 42.6% in 2010 (Carpenter & Acosta, 2010). Previous research has found that women coaches experience discrimination (Greenhaus et al., 1990) social stigma, and homophobia (Griffin, 1998). Difficulties with work-life balance have been identified as a barrier to coaching. Mentoring has been positive for the development of career satisfaction, commitment and positive job attitudes (Ragins et al., 2000), however, the role of mentoring in retaining women coaches needs exploration. This study used social exchange theory to determine if perceived costs/benefits of coaching, mentoring, work-life balance and coaching experiences could predict coaching career outcomes (current/non-coaching status). Current (n=442) and former (n=171) NCAA Division I head and assistant coaches completed an online survey. Five former coaches participated in phone interviews. Logistic regression analysis was conducted to predict coaching status (former/current) using demographic, costs/benefits to coaching, mentoring and work-life balance factors. The model correctly classified 81.3% of cases and the model accounted for 25.1-37.3% of the variance. Informal and formal mentoring significantly decreased the odds of being a former coach compared to no mentoring; however, mentoring satisfaction increased the odds of being a former coach. Work-life support decreased the odds of being a former coach. Qualitative results revealed the importance of mentoring, networking, personal balance and the impact of coaching on interpersonal relationships. Participants discussed experiences with structural barriers in athletics, homophobia and their decision to leave coaching

Prevalence and Predictors of Depressive Symptoms in NCAA Division III Collegiate Athletes

Mental health disorders are important health concerns among collegiate athletes. Estimations of elevated depressive symptoms in this population range from 1.1-26%. However, these data are derived mostly from NCAA Division I institutions or professional athletes. Evidence from lower divisions (e.g., NCAA Division III) is currently sparse in the literature. Hence, the primary purpose of the present study was to examine the prevalence of depressive symptoms in NCAA Division III collegiate athletes. The secondary purpose was to examine which mental health indicators predict depressive symptoms. In total, 186 participants completed several mental health scales (e.g., PHQ-9, DASS-21). The results revealed a prevalence of 16.2% of elevated depressive symptoms. A multiple regression predicted 46.1% of the variance of depressive symptoms. Significant predictors were stress, anxiety, devaluation, and emotional exhaustion. While NCAA Division III collegiate athletes may face lower athletic expectations, the prevalence of mental health concerns is similar to those observed in Division I collegiate athletes

Practical considerations for self-disclosure in applied sport psychology

Abstract: Practitioner self-disclosure is a complex technique that can have tremendous influence—for better or worse—on an applied sport psychology consultation. Relative to the large body of literature in counseling and clinical psychology, few substantive resources are available to guide consultants\u27 use of (or restraint from) self-disclosure in applied work with athletes. This article provides recommendations to begin filling that gap. Insights from existing literature are synthesized to provide practical guidelines and reflective considerations for the ethical and effective use of self-disclosure in applied sport psychology

An international portrait of the sport and exercise psychology professional: Examining professional practice issues from a global perspective

Sport and exercise psychology continues to grow as a profession in the US and internationally. In the US, leading concerns for the profession have been difficulties regarding title use, certification/licensure and training. However, it is important to understand current international professional practice challenges the field has encountered. The purpose of this article is to present and discuss results from an international survey of sport and exercise psychology professionals regarding their training, work activities, and title use in their respective countries. Three rounds of email prompts sampled 156 professionals representing 29 countries on six continents. Results revealed that the majority of participants received training in performance enhancement, and less training in clinical issues. Approximately 80% of participants indicated a specific credential is required to practice in their country, and the titles and requirements to obtain these credentials varied considerably between countries. Suggestions for a comprehensive and globalized approach to training in sport psychology are made

From mentee to mentor considerations for the neophyte supervisor

Supervision is an essential tool in the development of competent, qualifi ed, and ethical applied sport, exercise, and performance psychology (SEPP) practitioners. In addition to developing knowledge, competence, and ethical practice, a primary objective of supervision is to ensure the welfare of the performer (including athletes, exercisers, and performers in various domains) (Van Raalte & Andersen, 2000). In the ideal world, the supervision of developing SEPP consultants is a task left to “expert practitioners” who guide, mentor, and train the neophyte consultant. However, this is not necessarily refl ective of what occurs in reality, as this example illustrates: Dr. Sue, a young professional in her fi rst academic appointment post-graduation has been tasked with developing a practicum course and supervising master’s level students in their applied work with high school and college athletes in the area. Dr. Sue has recently achieved AASP Certifi ed Consultant status. Dr. Sue is nervous but excited to supervise her students and fondly remembers the impact her own supervisors had on her development as a consultant. Dr. Sue has lofty goals of imparting her knowledge on her students and dives right into supervising them

Dyadic Anxiety in Youth Sport: The Relationship of Achievement Goals With Anxiety in Young Athletes and Their Parents

The role of achievement motivation on precompetitive anxiety was examined in 73 dyads comprising youth athletes and a parent of each athlete. Participants completed questionnaires assessing achievement goals and anxiety. Actor–partner interdependence models were estimated using Mplus 7.11. Parents’ adoption of performance-approach and performance-avoidance goals predicted athletes’ worry (Formula Presented.). Athletes’ adoption of any goal predicted parents’ concentration disruption (Formula Presented.). Thus, parental definitions of competence held for the child was related to their young athlete\u27s emotional state and vice versa

The relationship between peer servant leadership, social identity, and team cohesion in intercollegiate athletics

© 2020 Elsevier Ltd Servant leadership is characterized by a leader\u27s emphasis on serving their followers first. Within the sport context, servant leadership has been studied primarily in coaches and has been associated with positive athlete outcomes, such as increased athlete satisfaction, motivation, and performance. However, the impact of servant leadership from an athlete perspective (e.g., formal team captains) has been underexplored. As such, the purpose of the present study was to examine the relationships between peer servant leadership, cohesion, and social identity within intercollegiate athletes. Two hundred and eighty-eight Division I and Division III NCAA intercollegiate athletes participated in the present study (female n = 165; male n = 123; Mage = 19.41, SDage = 1.09) and completed the Revised Servant Leadership Profile for Sport (RSLP-S; Hammermeister et al., 2008), Group Environment Questionnaire (GEQ; Carron et al., 1985; Eys et al., 2007), and Social Identity Questionnaire for Sport (SIQS; Bruner & Benson, 2018). Structural equation modeling was used to assess the relationships between peer servant leadership, cohesion, and social identity. Results revealed that peer servant leadership positively predicted cohesion, and this relationship was fully mediated by social identity. The current study supports the effectiveness of peer servant leadership in sport contexts and provides theoretical support for the social identity approach to leadership

Culturally Competent Sport Psychology: A Survey of Sport Psychology Professionals’ Perception of Cultural Competence

© 2020 Human Kinetics, Inc. Cultural competence, identified as the ability to understand other cultures and being aware of one’s own cultural assumptions, has been found to be important for sport psychology professionals (SPPs). In the current study, one of a few exploring the SPPs’ own perceived cultural competence, a sample of 203 SPPs completed an online survey examining the perceptions of their own levels of cultural competence. Most participants reported receiving formal training in cultural competence. However, this training was perceived as only moderately effective and only able to predict the reported level of the SPPs’ perceived cultural competence in a limited way. These results could be attributed to the reported lack of support for SPPs engaging in culturally centered self-reflective practice and to the limited role that these factors have played in training programs. Additional findings are described and discussed, along with recommendations for professional development and applied training