Profiles of perfectionism, parental climate, and burnout among competitive junior athletes

Recent research suggests that groups of athletes can be identified that differ in terms of perfectionism and perceptions of achievement climate. Moreover, these groups also differ in terms of burnout symptoms. The purpose of the current study was to extend this research by examining whether discernable groups can be identified based on scores of perfectionism and perceptions of parent-initiated climate and, then, whether these groups differ in terms of burnout. Two-hundred and thirty-seven Swedish junior athletes (124 male and 113 female aged 16-19) from a variety of sports completed measures of athlete burnout, multidimensional perfectionism, and parent-initiated motivational climate. Latent profile analysis identified four groups: non-perfectionistic athletes in a task-oriented climate, moderately perfectionistic athletes in a task-oriented climate, highly perfectionistic athletes in a task-oriented climate, and highly perfectionistic athletes in a mixed climate. The latter two groups reported higher levels of burnout in comparison to other groups. The findings suggest that junior athletes high in perfectionism may be at comparatively greater risk to burnout and that this may especially be the case when they perceive their parents to emphasize concerns about failure and winning without trying one’s best

Implementing a free lending of sports and leisure equipment service : A cross-sectional survey exploring user characteristics, utilization patterns, and significance among children and youth

Background: The escalating costs of sports equipment, coupled with socioeconomic disparities, hinder children’s participation in physical activities. The Leisure Equipment Library (LEL), a unique service in Sweden, addresses this challenge by providing free equipment lending. This study investigated the significance of providing free lending of sports and recreational equipment for children’s and youth’s opportunities to engage in physical activities during leisure time. Method: Utilizing a cross-sectional survey during the summer-2022 period, the study is based on data from 427 LEL users aged 7 to 25 years. User characteristics (demography, socioeconomic status, physical activity profiles), equipment usage patterns and perceived significance are also analyzed. The findings are discussed using the concept of consumer-brand identification. Results: The results showed that LEL reaches a broad and diverse group of children and young people in terms of gender, age, socioeconomic status, and physical activity profile. The borrowed equipment, primarily used for play and recreation, serves as an essential resource for children and youths and, in particular, for those with low socioeconomic status. LEL is considered highly important by all user groups, with a majority emphasizing its significance in facilitating leisure activities. Conclusions: The study suggests LEL’s success lies in its accessibility and that users identify with the brand of LEL. Users perceive LEL as a service catering to various recreational needs rather than sports, fostering inclusivity. The localization of stores in various types of areas, combined with high-quality products, enable children and young people from different socioeconomic areas to use the service. LEL’s success hinges on maintaining a positive brand image and promoting a recreation-oriented identity. Opportunities exist to strengthen emotional bonds with users, enhance branding strategies, and position LEL as a valuable resource for inclusive recreational activities. In conclusion, this study highlights the potential of free lending services, such as LEL, to bridge socioeconomic gaps in the promotion of physical activity among children and young people

‘The teacher makes us feel like we are a family’: students from refugee backgrounds’ perceptions of physical education in Swedish schools

Background: Over the past five decades, the number of people from refugee backgrounds in developed countries has been on the constant rise. Although the field of refugee and forced migration studies in relation to education and sport has grown considerably in recent years, very little is known about refugee-background students’ perceptions of Physical Education (PE). Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate refugee-background students’ perceptions of PE in Swedish high schools, using a salutogenic approach. Participants and settings: This qualitative study was conducted in two Swedish high schools and involved eleven students from refugee backgrounds aged 16–18 years (seven boys and four girls) who originated from a variety of countries including Afghanistan, Syria, Somalia, Ethiopia and Albania. Data collection/analysis: A total of 11 semi-structured interviews were conducted, and the interviews were systematically coded and analyzed using the sense of coherence (SOC) components as analytical tools. Findings: Three themes were identified that captured the students’ perceptions and experiences: (1) PE was perceived as more meaningful in Sweden than in their country of origin due to short-term benefits (e.g. social interaction with friends, and improving personal health and wellbeing) and long-term benefits (e.g. learning for the future); (2) understanding the rules and purpose of the activities helped students to better comprehend the experiences acquired in PE and communicate with others; and (3) constructive social relationships with teachers and classmates were an essential resource in order to make PE manageable. Implications: We suggest that strengths-based approaches should be recognized and incorporated into PE in order to facilitate health promoting factors and wellbeing among students from refugee backgrounds

Using motivational interviewing to promote teacher efficacy, autonomy-supportive teaching and students’ academic motivation

AbstractMotivational interviewing (MI) is a collaborative communication style used to promote individuals’ motivation, and there is growing support for using MI in schools. This study aims to test whether a teacher-focused intervention program based on MI and autonomy-supportive teaching increases teachers’ autonomy-supportive teaching, teacher efficacy and students’ academic motivation and perceptions of autonomy support. In this intervention study with a short-term longitudinal design, teachers were trained in MI and autonomy-supportive teaching style, along with a control group in which the students’ teachers did not receive specific training. 14 teachers and 478 students (10–12 years) participated in the study. The MI-based intervention were found to significantly increase teachers’ perceived autonomy-supportive teaching and sense of efficacy in student engagement, instructional strategies, and classroom management from Time 1 to Time 2. However, the intervention did not increase students’ academic motivation or perceptions of teacher autonomy support over time. The current study indicate that school-based MI may be more important for teachers’ professional development than for younger students’ academic motivation. This study demonstrates that MI training can have an impact on teachers’ instructional behaviors and increase teacher efficacy, providing valuable insights for both teacher education and school leaders

‘The teacher makes us feel like we are a family’: students from refugee backgrounds’ perceptions of physical education in Swedish schools

Background: Over the past five decades, the number of people from refugee backgrounds in developed countries has been on the constant rise. Although the field of refugee and forced migration studies in relation to education and sport has grown considerably in recent years, very little is known about refugee-background students’ perceptions of Physical Education (PE). Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate refugee-background students’ perceptions of PE in Swedish high schools, using a salutogenic approach. Participants and settings: This qualitative study was conducted in two Swedish high schools and involved eleven students from refugee backgrounds aged 16–18 years (seven boys and four girls) who originated from a variety of countries including Afghanistan, Syria, Somalia, Ethiopia and Albania. Data collection/analysis: A total of 11 semi-structured interviews were conducted, and the interviews were systematically coded and analyzed using the sense of coherence (SOC) components as analytical tools. Findings: Three themes were identified that captured the students’ perceptions and experiences: (1) PE was perceived as more meaningful in Sweden than in their country of origin due to short-term benefits (e.g. social interaction with friends, and improving personal health and wellbeing) and long-term benefits (e.g. learning for the future); (2) understanding the rules and purpose of the activities helped students to better comprehend the experiences acquired in PE and communicate with others; and (3) constructive social relationships with teachers and classmates were an essential resource in order to make PE manageable. Implications: We suggest that strengths-based approaches should be recognized and incorporated into PE in order to facilitate health promoting factors and wellbeing among students from refugee backgrounds