Rebecca A. Zakrajsek

Role of Uniforms in the Body Image of Female College Volleyball Players

Female student athletes often desire a muscular body to be successful in sport, but this body type does not conform to traditional cultural norms of femininity. In this study, the authors qualitatively examined the experiences of female intercollegiate volleyball players to better understand their beliefs about their bodies—both as athletes and as women outside of sport—in addition to whether perceptions about their revealing sports uniforms were related to body image. Results indicated that body image among female student athletes is a multidimensional construct. Participants reported conflicting messages about their bodies in regard to how they look on the court and how they are supposed to look off the court. In addition, results suggested that revealing uniforms contributed to decreased body esteem, and these uniforms also distracted players and impacted on-court performance. Results are interpreted within the framework of objectification theory, and implications for psychologists working with female student athletes are provided.

Stages of psychological impact after diagnosis with serious or potentially lethal cardiac disease in young competitive athletes: A new model☆

IMPORTANCE Sudden cardiac death (SCD) in sports is a tragic event. Pre-participation cardiovascular screening is required before participation in high school and college athletic programs and is universally endorsed by major medical societies. The medical impact of a diagnosis may be life-saving; however, the detection of disease should not be the sole endpoint of care. Physicians have an obligation to attend to both the medical and psychological well-being of their patients. OBJECTIVE To determine the psychological impact of being diagnosed with cardiac disease in young competitive athletes. DESIGN Athletes diagnosed with cardiac conditions were recruited to participate in a semi-structured interview, which was analyzed by sport psychology experts using qualitative research. Individuals shared reactions and experiences regarding diagnosis, lifestyle implications, coping strategies, major concerns, and overall impact on psychosocial functioning. SETTING Young competitive athletes from across the United States. PARTICIPANTS 25 athletes (52% male, 80% Caucasian, median age 17.7) participated. Diagnoses included: 5 hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, 8 Wolff Parkinson White, 4 long QT syndrome, 3 atrial septal defect, 2 supraventricular tachycardia, and 3 other. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Interviews were analyzed using consensual qualitative research (CQR) to identify domains, categories, and core ideas. RESULTS Athletes progressed through 4 stages of psychological impact including: 1) immediate reactions and challenge to athlete identity, 2) grief/coping, 3) adaptation, and 4) acceptance. Risk factors for increased psychological morbidity included: higher level of competition, permanent disqualification from sports, persistent reminders (e.g. daily medication, monitoring heart rate during activity), and unanticipated outcomes (e.g. failed procedures). Those undergoing simple corrective procedures came to terms with their diagnosis quickly with little impact on daily life. Few athletes described emotional support mechanisms provided by medical programs. Diagnosis often led to new goals such as mentoring or coaching. All athletes diagnosed through advanced cardiovascular screening stated they would repeat the process. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE Athletes diagnosed with cardiac disease represent an emotionally vulnerable population and experience 4 stages of psychological adjustment not previously described. This proposed model of psychological impact should be used to develop improved support mechanisms, awareness, and education to assist athletes diagnosed with serious or potentially lethal cardiac disease.

Certified Athletic Trainers’ Understanding and Use of Sport Psychology in Their Practice

Nine certified athletic trainers from one National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I institution participated in semistructured interviews about their understanding of sport psychology and use of psychological strategies in their work with injured athletes. Through Consensual Qualitative Research (Hill, 2012) procedures, three major domains were constructed: (a) recognition of the common psychological challenges of injury rehabilitation, (b) knowledge and understanding of sport psychology, and (c) utilization of sport psychology skills and strategies for rehabilitation. Although athletic trainers utilized basic psychological strategies (e.g., goal setting, reassurance) during injury rehabilitation, findings support the need for an interprofessional team approach to enhancing psychological recovery.

An exploration of the academic coaching education internship

Abstract Academic coach education programmes in the USA have been developed to offer a comprehensive approach to coach preparation and development. However, little is known about how these academic programmes prepare student coaches for the coaching profession, particularly with regard to practicum or internship experiences. This study surveyed coach education programme coordinators in the university setting and explored the current programmatic methods of implementing the internship. The coach education internship was found to vary widely in structure and expectations, leading to three main concerns: (1) lack of consistency in organizational structure; (2) over-estimation of the coaching opportunities student coaches were expected to experience; and (3) an absence of or limited amount of screening and evaluation of the mentor coaches supervising the student coach during internship. Recommendations regarding the internship within academic coach education programmes are explored.

Self-Care as Key to Others’ Care: The Perspectives of Globally Situated Experienced Senior-Level Sport Psychology Practitioners

Engaging in self-care has been proposed as a means of counteracting work–life stress that can negatively impact efforts by sport psychology practitioners (SPPs) to effectively and ethically care for their clients. Utilizing Hills Consensual Qualitative Research methodological approach, researchers examined the perceptions, experiences, and meanings that 20 internationally located, experienced, senior-level SPPs attributed to their self-care. The researchers identified 3 main domains: (a) defining self-care for SPPs, (b) describing the self-care challenges SPPs faced, and (c) identifying the strategies used to overcome those challenges. The experienced and senior-level practitioners participating in this study recognized a need to sustain a relatively balanced approach in their professional and personal lives. They presented a perspective of self-care as necessary to effectively support and provide care for clients. The SPPs identified self-care as an important contributor to their sport psychology professional quality of life. Study findings have implications for the well-being of both novice and more experienced SPPs.

A revolving door: A qualitative investigation of release from professional baseball

Athletes endure multiple transition phases over the course of their career (both in and out of sport). The context of professional baseball offers the potential to gain a unique perspective on the experience of forced transition out of sport (i.e. being released). Every year approximately 1500 individuals will be released from professional baseball and close to 90% of all athletes will likely be released at some point in their career, creating a “revolving door” in Minor League Baseball (MiLB). Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 former MiLB players to understand the experience of being released from professional baseball and identify coping strategies applied during the forced transition. Analysis of the qualitative data revealed two domains: (a) aspects that influenced processing of the release and (b) factors that facilitated a successful transition out of baseball. The findings highlighted positive appraisals and coping strategies that former MiLB players had used to enhance their transition out of sport. Having a back-up plan, utilising connections, and maturing through college experiences alleviated some of the challenges participants faced and helped them to be better prepared for an exit from the revolving door that is MiLB and enter a new phase of their professional life. In sum, the current research helped gain a better understanding of release from professional baseball and provided information that can help to assist athletes who are going through this experience.

Heating up Coaching Education: What Coaches Need to Know

Background: The National Standards for Sport Coaches (2006) acknowledges that differences exist in athletes’ ability to tolerate heat. As such, Domain 2: Safety and Injury Prevention (S7-10), Domain 3: Physical Conditioning (S12-13), and Domain 7: Organization and Administration (S34) list expectations for coaches’ ability to recognize and respond to heat illness. However, only the American Red Cross of Greater Indianapolis (Domain 2 specific) and 13 programs are accredited by NCACE. Moreover, on-line trainings frequently used to educate novice interscholastic and recreational sport coaches provide only a cursory review of heat illness precautions, symptoms, and remedies. Objective: The purpose of this exploratory study is to identify changes in coaches’ actual and perceived knowledge after an on-line educational intervention, as well as determine whether the educational intervention will decrease the knowledge gap. Research Design: A pre-test/post-test design was used to identify the effect of an educati...