Dr Sam Thrower
Senior Lecturer in Sport & Exercise Psychology
School of Sport, Nutrition and Allied Health Professions
Role
I joined Oxford Brookes University in January 2023 and currently teach on undergraduate modules in Sport and Exercise Psychology and Research Methods. I also supervise undergraduate and postgraduate research students.
Teaching and supervision
Courses
Modules taught
Courses:
- Sport, Physical Activity and Health Promotion (BSc (Hons), DipHE, CertHE)
- Sport and Exercise Science (BSc (Hons))
- Sport, Coaching and Physical Education (BSc (Hons))
Module Leader:
- Introduction to Sport Exercise and Exercise Psychology (SPOR4009)
- Applied Sport Exercise & Exercise Psychology (SPOR5005)
- Talent Identification & Development (SPOR5014)
Supervision
I welcome enquiries from prospective postgraduate research students with an interest in the field of Sport & Exercise Psychology, in consideration for the Faculty of Health and Life Science's MA/MSc by Research and MPhil/PhD research degree programmes (https://www.brookes.ac.uk/study/courses/postgraduate-research).
Research
I am predominantly a qualitative researcher, although I have conducted research as part of interdisciplinary teams using both quantitative and mixed-method designs. My main research interests lie in the area of youth sport and specifically the psychosocial development of young athletes. I am particularly interested in topics such as sport parenting, sport confidence, motivational climates, stress and coping, and anti-doping in sport.
My research in these areas has been published in a range of leading international journals including: ‘International Review of Sport & Exercise Psychology’, ‘Psychology of Sport & Exercise’, ‘Qualitative Research in Sport, Exercise & Health’, ‘Sport, Exercise & Performance Psychology’, ‘Journal of Applied Sport Psychology’, ‘International Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology’ and 'Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology'.
Centres and institutes
Groups
Publications
Journal articles
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Petróczi A, Martinelli LA, Thrower SN, Veltmaat A, Heyes A, Barkoukis V, Bondarev D, Elbe A-M, Lazuras L, Mallia L, Zelli A, 'Elite athletes’ values in action: an important yet complicated aspect in anti-doping education'
International Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology [online first] (2024)
ISSN: 1612-197X eISSN: 1557-251XAbstractPublished here Open Access on RADARBackground: Values-based education seeks to cultivate personal responsibility, empathy and integrity to encourage critical reflection on the (anticipated or actual) consequences of one’s choices and behaviours. To comply with the World Anti-Doping Agency's International Standard for Education, anti-doping education programmes must incorporate values-based components. To facilitate this development, we explored how elite athletes interpret and apply their values in various situations throughout their athletic careers.
Methods: Adopting a Qualitative Description design, 13 focus groups were conducted with a diverse sample of 60 elite athletes from 13 countries participating in 27 sports at national or international levels. Audio recordings were transcribed/translated and analysed using reflexive thematic analysis.
Results: Athletes noted that their values guide their actions but struggled to articulate how these values influence their behaviour. Three overarching themes were created to capture (1) value consciousness and clarity, (2) intrapersonal value continuity, and (3) value conflict and management. Dynamic relationships between athletes' values, priorities and decision-making processes were evident. Specifically, the results revealed shifts in value priorities as athletes matured and progressed in their careers, and across situations to meet situational demands whilst making behaviour personally permissible.
Conclusion: To live up to the fundamental principles of values-based education, anti-doping programmes must incorporate activities that facilitate conceptually sound discussions and provide athletes with time and support to unpack the behavioural meaning of their values. Developing athletes’ abilities through conscious sense-making activities to anticipate the pain of a value transgression and the value of value-fulfilment is key to this process.
Keywords: clean sport, values-based education, WADA, qualitative, focus group
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Thrower SN, Barker J, Bruton A, Coffee P, Cumming J, Harwood C, Howells K, Knight C, McCarthy P, Mellalieu SD, 'BPS DSEP Position Statement: Psychological Skills Training for Performance Enhancement, Long-Term Development, and Well-being in Youth Sport'
Sport & Exercise Psychology Review [in press] (2024)
ISSN: 1745-4980 eISSN: 2396-961XAbstractOpen Access on RADARYoung athletes have become an increasingly important client group for sport psychology practitioners and a population whose physical, cognitive, emotional, and social development should be carefully considered by a practitioner when delivering their services (Visek et al., 2009). The aim of this British Psychological Society (BPS) Division of Sport and Exercise Psychology (DSEP) position statement is to summarise existing knowledge about psychological skills training (PST) interventions and discuss optimal service provision of PST in youth sport. In the first section of this position statement, we provide a brief overview of the literature exploring PST during childhood (5-11 years), early adolescence (12-15 years), and mid-to-late adolescence (16-18 years). Within each sub-section, key developmental considerations (i.e., physical, cognitive, emotional, and social) are provided followed by short summaries of research on basic single strategy (i.e., goal setting, imagery, relaxation, and self-talk) and alternative strategy interventions (e.g., mindfulness, music, perceptual training, and self-modelling) with young athletes. In the second section, optimal service provision of PST is discussed by drawing upon practitioners’ experiences of working with young athletes, concluding with 10 recommendations for youth sport organisations, training and accrediting bodies, researchers, and practitioners.
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Tagliavini E, Jowett S, Thrower S, Harwood C, 'A Collective Case Study of Parent-Athlete-Coach Triads in British Youth Tennis'
The Sport Psychologist [online first] (2023)
ISSN: 0888-4781 eISSN: 1543-2793AbstractPublished here Open Access on RADARWhile important for athletic development and well-being in youth sport, knowledge remains limited around the processes underpinning triadic relationships between parents, athletes and coaches (PAC). This study aimed to examine the relational processes that drive the functioning of PAC triads across three developmental stages of youth tennis. Using a collective case study design, 10 players, 10 coaches, and nine mothers completed pre- interview tasks, semi-structured interviews, and provided conversational history. Reflexive thematic analysis led to the generation of two higher-order themes: foundations of relationship quality and factors enabling team effectiveness. Findings highlighted how specific relationship qualities (i.e., commitment, trust, respect, and parent-coach proximity) and team effectiveness constructs (i.e., shared goals, collaborative and adjusted roles, support, and role-specific communication) served to facilitate the tennis experience for triads. Scholars are encouraged to consider integrating small-group principles (e.g., team building) into tailored support programs that address the psychosocial needs of the triad.
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Thrower SN, Barker JB, Bruton AM, Coffee P, Cumming J, Harwood CG, Howells KL, Knight CJ, McCarthy PJ, Mellalieu SD, 'Enhancing Wellbeing, Long-Term Development, and Performance in Youth Sport: Insights from Experienced Applied Sport Psychologists Working with Young Athletes in the United Kingdom'
Journal of Applied Sport Psychology 36 (3) (2023) pp. 519-541
ISSN: 1041-3200 eISSN: 1533-1571AbstractPublished here Open Access on RADARAlthough applied sport psychologists are supporting young athletes drawing on experiential evidence of what works, there is a lack of understanding regarding how to effectively help young athletes enhance their wellbeing, long-term development, and performance. The aim of the current study was to gain insights into the consultancy process from accredited applied sport psychologists working with young athletes (5-18 years) in the United Kingdom, to inform the training and development of practitioners. An Interpretive Descriptive (ID) design was used to generate grounded knowledge relevant to applied practice contexts. The current study was conducted by a British Psychological Society (BPS), Division of Sport and Exercise Psychology (DSEP), research working group and consisted of two phases: First, working group members (n = 6) participated in two separate focus groups. Second, in-depth interviews were conducted with UK-based sport psychology practitioners (n = 9) who had extensive knowledge and experience of working with young athletes. Reflexive thematic analysis generated six higher order themes: (a) Clear intentions, motives, and boundaries; (b) flexible and adaptable theoretical approaches; (c) seeking and securing connections; (d) multiple perspectives matter; (e) indirect interventions maximize impact; and (f) adaptation and integration determine Psychological Skills Training (PST) effectiveness. The current study offers unique and detailed insights regarding the consultancy process when working with young athletes. Such insights are crucial for applied sport psychologists to promote evidence-informed developmentally appropriate practice.
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Willmott E, Thrower S, Williams, TL, Petroczi A , 'The perfect storm: A meta-ethnography of the motivations, behaviours, and experiences of competitive bodybuilders'
International Review of Sport and Exercise Psychology [online first] (2023)
ISSN: 1750-984X eISSN: 1750-9858AbstractPublished here Open Access on RADARStudies investigating competitive bodybuilding have primarily done so from a pathologizing perspective, and have often considered aspects of the competitive bodybuilding lifestyle in isolation, therefore overlooking the broader motivations underlying individuals’ engagement in the sport. The current study addressed these limitations by using a meta-ethnographic approach to review the existing competitive bodybuilding literature as a collective. Synthesis of 20 published studies relating to competitive bodybuilders’ motivations, behaviours, and experiences resulted in the construction of five third-order constructs: a journey of self-discovery and improvement, gaining a new identity, enacting control, conditional and unconditional social support, and decisional balance. Encapsulated as a ‘perfect storm’, the results offer novel conceptual understanding of how the interplay of personality traits, life experiences, and situational factors drive competitors to begin and maintain their participation in competitive bodybuilding, the social support they experience, and the role of control in competitors’ motivations, harm management, and justificatory processes. From an applied perspective, the study has implications in terms of both support provision and harm management.
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Thrower SN, Spray CM, Harwood CG, 'Evaluating the “Optimal Competition Parenting Workshop” Using the RE-AIM Framework: A 4-Year Organizational-Level Intervention in British Junior Tennis'
Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology 45 (1) (2023) pp.1-14
ISSN: 0895-2779 eISSN: 1543-2904AbstractPublished here Open Access on RADARThe purpose of the current study was to utilize the RE-AIM (i.e., reach, effectiveness, adoption, implementation, and maintenance) framework to evaluate the national-level scale-out of the Lawn Tennis Association’s “Optimal Competition Parenting Workshop” (OCPW) across a 4-year period. During 2018, 65 workshops were run across the United Kingdom, 1,043 parents registered, and 933 parents attended. Adopting a quasi-experimental design, multilevel analyses revealed significant increases in parents’ (n = 130) task goal orientation and competition tennis parenting efficacy, as well as significant decreases in ego goal orientation and unpleasant emotions. Children’s perceptions of both mother- and father-initiated ego-involving motivational climate and their own ego goal orientation significantly decreased across time. From 2019 to 2021, a further 64 workshops were delivered to 1,110 parents with no significant differences in parents’ satisfaction, enjoyment, instructor evaluation, or transfer intention over time when compared against workshop evaluations in 2018. Overall, the OCPW represents a well-received, practical, and effective brief intervention for enhancing parental involvement in junior tennis.
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Shelley J, Thrower SN, Petróczi A, 'Whose job is it anyway? A qualitative investigation into the influence of agents, race organisers, and sponsors on the risk of doping in elite distance running'
International Journal of Sport Policy and Politics 15 (1) (2023) pp.23-44
ISSN: 1940-6940 eISSN: 1940-6959AbstractPublished here Open Access on RADARAgents, race-organisers, and sponsors have a key influence in shaping the world of elite professional distance running. Yet to date this important but hard-to-reach stakeholder group has been omitted from the global research landscape of doping and anti-doping. The purpose of this study is to address this gap in the literature and explore the systematic contributors to doping in elite long-distance running, along with potential solutions to this issue, from this influential perspective. Thirteen in-depth interviews were conducted with agents (n = 8) of world-class long-distance runners, major race organisers (n = 3), and sports marketing managers for global brands (n = 2). The interviews were conducted via the phone, audio-recorded, and transcribed verbatim. Reflexive thematic analysis generated three themes which focused on: 1) The framework of professional distance running and the contextual aspects which may contribute to doping risk, 2) the impact of various recruitment strategies on doping and anti-doping, and 3) the lessons that can be learnt from the participants’ first-hand experiences with doping cases and/or managing anti-doping requirements. Reflecting on the sector rather than the sample, the results highlighted that not all commercial stakeholders feel responsible for anti-doping. Collective responsibility from all stakeholders, which is currently borne by some and not others, is necessary to minimise doping in distance running. The challenge is how to convince all stakeholders of their share of the responsibility.
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Martinelli LA, Thrower SN, Heyes A, Boardley ID, Backhouse SH, Petróczi A, 'The good, the bad, and the ugly: A qualitative secondary analysis into the impact of doping and anti-doping on clean elite athletes in five European countries'
International Journal of Sport Policy and Politics 15 (1) (2023) pp.3-22
ISSN: 1940-6940 eISSN: 1940-6959AbstractPublished hereProtecting clean sport, and the rights of athletes to a clean sport environment, is at the centre of anti-doping policies. To better support and enable clean athletes and sport, an understanding of the clean athlete lifeworld is required. The current study explored the ways that clean athletes are personally affected by others’ actual or suspected instances of doping and anti-doping rule violations, and by aspects of the anti-doping system. Qualitative Secondary Analysis (QSA) was used to re-analyse and interpret 13 focus group transcripts generated from the ‘Research-Embedded Strategic Plan for Anti-Doping Education Clean Sport Alliance Initiative for Tackling Doping’ (RESPECT) project (see Petróczi et al., 2021b). The sample in the parent study included 82 self-declared clean elite athletes, from Germany, Ireland, Netherlands, Slovenia, and the UK. Reflexive thematic analysis generated three overarching themes: The harm done by clean athletes having to coexist with dopers, how clean athletes are undermined by a disingenuous interest in clean sport, and the anxiety experienced by clean athletes over mistakes that could lead to anti-doping rule violations. The impacts of doping on clean athletes – direct or indirect – are experienced by all clean athletes in some way. The results indicate that current approaches to anti-doping rule compliance frequently undermine clean athletes and the perceived legitimacy of the anti-doping system.
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Thomas O, Thrower SN, 'Developing and Maintaining Sport-Confidence: Learning From Elite Athletes'
Frontiers for Young Minds 10 (2022)
ISSN: : 2296-6846 eISSN: 2296-6846AbstractPublished hereHave you noticed how you can feel very confident in some sporting situations but in others, usually at the worst possible moment, that confidence can suddenly disappear? When athletes feel confident, they are focused on the task, feel relaxed, and commit fully to decisions—all of which help them perform well. However, when they don’t feel confident, they sometimes focus on the wrong things, doubt themselves, feel nervous, and often make poor decisions, which often results in poorer performances. In this article, we talk about a study that investigated what young elite athletes feel confident about, where they get their confidence from, and what reduces their confidence. The results help to explain why the confidence of young athletes often fluctuates and, importantly, gives us clues about how to develop and maintain sport-confidence.
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Ainsworth NP, Thrower SN, Petróczi A, 'Two sides of the same coin: A qualitative exploration of experiential and perceptual factors which influence the clinical interaction between physicians and Anabolic-Androgenic Steroid using patients in the UK'
Emerging Trends in Drugs, Addictions, and Health 2 (2022)
ISSN: 2667-1182AbstractPublished hereBackground
Patient-physician interactions involve complex interplays between patient and physician autonomy. This is intensified in stigmatised populations, such as anabolic-androgenic steroid (AAS) users. The current study investigated what factors influence clinical interactions between physicians and AAS users, thus providing a holistic understanding of the underlying dynamics.
Methods
For this exploratory two-cohort qualitative study, UK-based physicians (n = 6) and AAS-users (n = 6) were recruited via purposive and snowball sampling. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews. These interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and inductively analysed using reflexive thematic analysis.
Results
Six themes were identified for AAS-using patients (perceived bias and lack of clinical knowledge; perceived power imbalance; riskiness of disclosure; feeling misidentified; experiencing hostility and prejudice; and collaborative clinical interactions) and four for physicians (professional barriers: lack of knowledge, guidelines and resources; preconceptions and prior understandings; direct exposure influences clinical confidence; and professional role quandary). The overall picture suggests primary impactive factors involve stigma management techniques amongst AAS-using patients and coping with clinical uncertainty for physicians.
Conclusions
Blurred lines between enabling versus management impact both the AAS-using patient and the physician. Greater clarity is required regarding what constitutes appropriate management. Further discussion is warranted about the role of physician and patient autonomy. Improving access to healthcare services and expertly guided AAS cessation, if necessary, are vital for effective harm-reduction.
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Kramers S, Thrower SN, Steptoe K, Harwood CG, 'Parental strategies for supporting children’s psychosocial development within and beyond elite sport'
Journal of Applied Sport Psychology 35 (3) (2022) pp.498-520
ISSN: 1041-3200 eISSN: 1533-1571AbstractPublished hereThere remains limited research into the role that parents play to support their child’s psychosocial development within elite youth sport contexts. The present study was conducted in an English professional youth football (soccer) academy that has intentionally integrated the 5Cs framework (Harwood; commitment, communication, concentration, control, confidence) into its player development process. The purpose of the study was to explore parents’ interpretations of their roles and experiences of supporting young athletes’ psychosocial development in this context. Six focus groups were conducted with 30 parents (17 fathers, 13 mothers; Mage ¼ 44.8) who had a child in the foundation (8–11 years) or youth development phase (12–16 years). The transcripts were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis. Parental strategies employed to support their child’s 5Cs within and beyond the academy included providing encouragement and tailoring feedback, establishing and sharing expectations with their child, creating an autonomy-supportive environment, encouraging participation in activities outside of the academy, and understanding football and the nature of the academy. Barriers perceived as hindering parents’ support reflected the salience of coach-parent communication at the academy. Accompanying recommendations and implications are discussed for enabling improved congruency between coaches and parents, and how parent education can be better tailored to support intentional psychosocial development within elite youth sport pathways. Lay summary: Conducted at a professional football academy that has integrated a psychosocial framework into the player development process, this study explored parents’ interpretations of their roles and experiences of supporting young athletes’ psychosocial development. Parents discussed practical strategies, barriers, and recommendations to support their child’s development in and beyond sport.
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Thrower SN, Hamann M, Stokoe E, Harwood CG, 'Examining parent-child interactions in British junior tennis: A conversation analysis of the pre-competition car journey'
Psychology of Sport and Exercise 60 (2022)
ISSN: 1469-0292 eISSN: 1469-0292AbstractPublished hereResearch exploring the processes and effects of parent-child social interaction in youth sport has been limited by an overreliance on retrospective questionnaire and interview-based designs. The purpose of the current study was to examine the naturally occurring parent-child interactions which unfold during the pre-competition car journey within British tennis. Specifically, the research questions focused on identifying the parental communicative practices that enabled (or limited) affiliative conversations about children’s upcoming tennis performance. Audio and video recordings were made of 13 parent-child dyads resulting in 4 h 45 min of parent-child interactions. These recordings were transcribed using the Jefferson (2004) system for capturing the production, pace, and organisation of social interaction. Conversation analysis revealed that children resisted or disengaged from the interaction when parents positioned themselves as having authority over, and entitlement to know about, the child’s upcoming performance. This positioning was achieved through giving instructions or advice about the child’s performance and through asking ‘test’ questions to which they already knew the answer. However, asking ‘wh-questions’ that enabled children to talk about their own areas to focus on, lead to extended sequences of affiliative talk. From an applied perspective, these findings highlight the importance of asking genuinely open questions that construct the child as having ownership of their tennis development and performances.
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Ainsworth N, Thrower SN, Petróczi A, 'Fragile femininity, embodiment, and self-managing harm: an interpretative phenomenological study exploring the lived experience of females who use anabolic-androgenic steroids'
Qualitative Research in Sport, Exercise and Health 14 (3) (2021) pp.363-381
ISSN: 2159-676X eISSN: 2159-6778AbstractPublished hereLittle research exists on the lived experiences of female anabolic-androgenic steroid (AAS) use from a harm reduction perspective. This study aims to address this gap and explore the experiences, perceptions, and perspectives of AAS-using females through their journeys of starting, using, and coming off AAS to facilitate appropriate public health policies. Four females, recruited using opportunistic purposive sampling, participated in semistructured interviews. Using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), four superordinate themes clarify the experiences and narratives detailed by the participants: preparation and anxiety (before using AAS); deviation from feminine identity (during AAS use); turbulence of cessation (end of AAS use); and rediscovering femininity (post-AAS cessation reflections). The results show how harm arising from AAS use is characterised by the development of virilising effects and the complex framing of their feminine identity, providing a clearer image of how harm is defined and managed by this population. While participants anticipated adverse side effects, this did not prevent negative emotions arising from their development. Our results also suggest that gender identity in this unique population is inseparable but not irreconcilable with the changing body. Illuminating this specific facet of AAS use can inform holistic, meaningful, and more inclusive harm reduction measures by adding experiential information from this unique but understudied and hard-to-reach group.
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Shelley J, Thrower SN, Petróczi A, 'Racing Clean in a Tainted World: A Qualitative Exploration of the Experiences and Views of Clean British Elite Distance Runners on Doping and Anti-Doping'
Frontiers in Psychology 12 (2021)
ISSN: 1664-1078 eISSN: 1664-1078AbstractPublished hereBackground: Doping has been a prominent issue for the sport of athletics in recent years. The endurance disciplines, which currently account for 56% of the global anti-doping rule violations in athletics, appear to be particularly high risk for doping.
Objective: Using this high-risk, high-pressure context, the main purpose of this study was to investigate the human impact of doping and anti-doping on “clean” athletes. The secondary aim of the study was to better understand the reasons for, and barriers to, competing “clean” among this group of athletes.
Method: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 11 elite distance runners from the UK to explore: (1) the reasons and motivations for competing clean. (2) Perceptions of the anti-doping system, and experiences of being part of that system. (3) Views on the prevalence and causes of doping and the impact of doping on the lives of clean athletes. The interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analysed using Reflexive Thematic Analysis.
Results: Four major themes were identified: (1) The participants in this study have not been tempted to use prohibited substances or methods; they compete in their sport for the personal satisfaction of seeing how good they can be, rather than in pursuit of winning at all costs. (2) Anti-doping does not currently prevent doping effectively and is not implemented evenly across the globe. (3) Doping was perceived as a major issue and was felt to be borne out of certain sporting cultures in which doping is enabled. (4) Doping has impacted the careers of clean athletes in irreversible ways and presents a continuing challenge to the psychological preparation for competition.
Conclusions: Clean athletes suffer negative consequences from both doping and anti-doping. ADOs must collaborate across borders to ensure a more even implementation of anti-doping activities, to facilitate a more level playing field on the global stage. ADOs must also acknowledge the existence of a large group of athletes who would never consider deliberately doping and make anti-doping work for these athletes too.
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Petróczi A, Heyes A, Thrower SN, Martinelli LA, Backhouse SH, Boardley ID, 'Understanding and building clean(er) sport together: Community-based participatory research with elite athletes and anti-doping organisations from five European countries'
Psychology of Sport and Exercise 55 (2021)
ISSN: 1469-0292 eISSN: 1469-0292AbstractPublished hereBackground
In sport the narrative is changing from anti-doping to pro-clean sport. Yet, our understanding of what ‘clean sport’ means to athletes is notably absent from the literature.
Objectives
Working together with elite athletes and National Anti-Doping Organisations (NADOs), this study explored the meaning and importance of ‘clean sport’ and ‘clean athlete identity’.
Design
Community-based participatory research design was employed to explore (a) how elite athletes define clean sport and being a clean athlete; (b) the hopes and challenges associated with clean sport and being a clean athlete; and (c) what can be done in anti-doping to elicit clean sport.
Methods
Five elite athletes in five European countries (Germany, Ireland, Netherlands, Slovenia and United Kingdom) were recruited as co-researchers by their respective NADOs, trained for their role as co-researchers and individually interviewed. Seventy-seven elite athletes were then purposefully recruited for 12 athlete-led national focus groups. Finally, the five athlete co-researchers and five athlete participants took part in one 2.5-h long international focus group.
Results
Reflexive thematic analysis resulted in generating four overarching themes: ‘clean is being true to the self’, ‘clean performance enhancement has multiple meanings’, ‘clean is not a solo act’ and ‘the problems and solutions are systemic’. Collectively, the themes showed that the clean athlete identity is generally rooted in upbringing, early experiences and love of sport; and characterised by continued, intrinsically motivated commitment to fundamental values and morals acquired in childhood. In contrast, the concept of clean performance-enhancement is highly idiosyncratic and flexible. Elite athletes value anti-doping efforts but their experiences of disparity and unfairness in doping control undermine their trust in anti-doping.
Conclusion
Clean athlete identity is a social endeavour and artefact, which needs to be reflected in and developed through evidence-informed anti-doping interventions. Raising athletes' voices via collaboration and participatory research can be an enriching experience for athletes and researchers alike, and a worthwhile endeavour for sport organisations with responsibility for anti-doping. To make anti-doping education personally relevant, the richness of individual interpretation of ‘clean’ for the self (i.e., clean athlete identity) and performance-enhancement must be acknowledged, respected and cultivated.
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Dorsch TE, Wright E, Eckardt VC, Elliott S, Thrower SN, Knight CJ, 'A history of parent involvement in organized youth sport: A scoping review.'
Sport, Exercise, and Performance Psychology 10 (4) (2021) pp.536-557
ISSN: 2157-3905 eISSN: 2157-3913AbstractPublished hereA fundamental step in describing a research field is the review and synthesis of accumulated knowledge. Multiple qualitative reviews have been conducted over the last decade to provide a summary and commentary on the growing literature in the area of youth sport parenting. However, these reviews have focused on contemporary findings in the field, largely ignoring work in the area that began in the late 1960s. In light of this underdiscussed history, there remains a need to highlight the historical foundations of the youth sport parenting literature, the transitions that shaped the trajectory of work, as well as the contemporary research that informs our current understanding. The purpose of this scoping review was to provide a historical analysis of the literature on parent involvement in organized youth sport. In conducting the analysis, we identified key concepts and trajectories that define the field’s foundational (1968–1981), transitional (1982–1998), and contemporary (1999–2020) periods. Specifically, this review not only sought to define and summarize these periods of research but also to use the synthesized knowledge to frame remaining gaps and potential future directions for the field.
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Harwood CG, Thrower SN, 'Performance Enhancement and the Young Athlete: Mapping the Landscape and Navigating Future Directions'
Kinesiology Review 8 (3) (2019) pp.171-179
ISSN: 2163-0453 eISSN: 2161-6035AbstractPublished hereThe aim of this paper is to provide a comprehensive narrative review of extant scientific knowledge on the effectiveness of performance-enhancement-based interventions in youth sport settings. Specifically, the authors explore the effects of psychological interventions on the sport performance of young athletes (18 yr of age or under). Drawing on over 80 published studies that have attempted to enhance young athletes’ performances using a range of methodological and strategic approaches, four main clusters of research are presented. These clusters include single-strategy psychological-skills-training (PST) interventions, multimodal PST interventions, alternative single-strategy interventions, and alternative multimodal interventions. In each of these clusters, the landscape of work is overviewed and papers of particular methodological interest are highlighted before the authors draw out critical reflections, future research directions, and recommendations for supporting further scholarship and practice with young athletes.
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Thomas O, Thrower SN, Lane A, Thomas J, 'Types, Sources, and Debilitating Factors of Sport Confidence in Elite Early Adolescent Academy Soccer Players'
Journal of Applied Sport Psychology 33 (2) (2019) pp.192-217
ISSN: 1041-3200 eISSN: 1533-1571AbstractPublished hereThis study provided a new contribution to the literature by examining elite early adolescent academy soccer players’ sport confidence needs. Preinterview booklets and individual semi structured interviews were used as multiple sources of qualitative data to identify the types, sources, and debilitating factors of sport confidence in a large sample (n = 28) of players within the youth development phase of the Elite Player Performance Plan. An abductive approach to hierarchical content analysis found 3 types of sport confidence: skill execution, physical factors, and psychological factors. These types were generated from five sources of sport confidence: accomplishments, social support, preparation, vicarious experience, and innate factors. Five confidence-debilitating factors—lack of social support, poor performances, poor preparation, pressure and expectations, and injury/illness—were also identified. Practitioners are advised to widen the sport confidence types experienced by elite adolescent performers and broaden the sources of sport confidence that such performers use to gain belief.
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Harwood CG, Thrower SN, Slater MJ, Didymus FF, Frearson L, 'Advancing Our Understanding of Psychological Stress and Coping Among Parents in Organized Youth Sport'
Frontiers in Psychology 10 (2019)
ISSN: 1664-1078 eISSN: 1664-1078AbstractPublished hereThe current study investigated psychological stress among parents of competitive British tennis players. Adopting a multipart concurrent mixed method design, 135 British tennis parents completed a cross sectional online questionnaire to examine their primary appraisals, emotions, and coping strategies associated with self-disclosed stressors. Hierarchical content analysis was conducted on open ended questionnaire responses to identify key stressors and coping strategies, and descriptive and inferential statistics were utilized to explore the differences between various components of the process. The findings revealed a range of organizational, competitive, and developmental stressors. These stressors were predominantly appraised as harm or challenge, and anxiety and anger were the most prominent emotions that the parents experienced. Statistically, parents experienced greater anger in relation to competition (compared to organizational and developmental) stressors, whilst harm appraisal increased negative emotions, and challenge appraisal increased positive emotions. Findings also highlighted how parents used a number of mastery, internal regulation, and goal withdrawal coping strategies, which varied statistically in degrees of reported effectiveness. The contribution of these findings to the stress literature and their applied implications are discussed.
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Harwood CG, Knight CJ, Thrower SN, Berrow SR, 'Advancing the study of parental involvement to optimise the psychosocial development and experiences of young athletes'
Psychology of Sport and Exercise 42 (2019) pp.66-73
ISSN: 1469-0292 eISSN: 1469-0292AbstractPublished hereThe purpose of this article is to review and critique the literature in youth sport that specifically relates to parental influence on the experiences and psychosocial development of young athletes. First, we consider the literature examining the extent to which parental involvement in organised youth sport has been associated with psychosocial outcomes in young people. Within this critique, we draw upon what has been learned from the sport-based positive youth development (PYD) and life skills literature. Second, we address conceptual and methodological limitations of existing literature (e.g., homogeneity of samples, oversimplification of parenting in sport, studying parental involvement in isolation) and target key scientific gaps that exist in facilitating our understanding of optimal parental involvement (e.g., raising parental awareness and facilitating opportunities to support psychosocial development, improving coach education to facilitate parent-coach relationships, collaborating with coaches through well designed interventions, working on the “right” assets at the right time). Such gaps represent how parents appear to have been overlooked within the intentional process of psychosocial development. We offer concluding remarks about the future of youth sport in this area and provide specific recommendations to inspire future researchers and practitioners towards the challenge of empowering parents and more fully enabling their potential.
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Harwood CG, Caglar E, Thrower SN, Smith JMJ, 'Development and Validation of the Parent-Initiated Motivational Climate in Individual Sport Competition Questionnaire'
Frontiers in Psychology 10 (2019)
ISSN: 1664-1078 eISSN: 1664-1078AbstractPublished hereThis paper presents a series of studies that progresses the development and validation of the Parent-Initiated Motivational Climate in Individual Sport Competition Questionnaire (MCISCQ-Parent). Study 1 examined the face and content validity of an initial pool of 26 items based on the principles of achievement goal theory and prior research. In Study 2, data from an adolescent sample of individual sport athletes was subjected to an exploratory factor analysis (EFA) of items pertaining to the perceived task and ego involving characteristics of fathers and mothers in the competition setting. Study 3 tested the factor structure of the MCISCQ-Parent through confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) in a further youth athlete sample. Following appropriate CFA-related modifications, good goodness of fit indices emerged for the father- (three factor-model) and mother-related (two factor-model) dimensions of motivational climate. In Study 4, a further CFA was conducted and provided additional evidence for the revised factor structure of the MCISCQ-Parent, convergent and discriminant validity, and internal consistency. Finally, Study 5 provided support for the concurrent validity of the MCISCQ-Parent by demonstrating significant relationships between MCISCQ-Parent subscales and task and ego orientation, athlete engagement, and perceived social support. In sum, we present the MCISCQ-Parent as a measure with promising psychometric properties, and specifically to those applied researchers interested in assessing the quality of motivation-related parental involvement perceived by young athletes in the competition setting.
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Bleasdale EE, Thrower SN, Petróczi A, 'Would You Use It With a Seal of Approval? Important Attributes of 2,4-Dinitrophenol (2,4-DNP) as a Hypothetical Pharmaceutical Product'
Frontiers in Psychiatry 9 (2018)
ISSN: 1664-0640 eISSN: 1664-0640AbstractPublished hereBackground: 2,4-Dinitrophenol (2,4-DNP) is an effective but highly dangerous fat burner, not licensed for human consumption. Death cases reported for 2,4-DNP overdose, particularly among young adults, have raised concerns about the ineffective regulatory control, lack of education and risks associated with impurity, and the unknown concentration of 2,4-DNP purchased on the Internet.
Methods: Using a sequential mixed method design and based on a hypothetical scenario as if 2,4-DNP was a licensed pharmaceutical drug, first we conducted a qualitative study to explore what product attributes people consider when buying a weight-loss aid. Focus group interviews with six females and three males (mean age = 21.6 ± 1.8 years) were audiorecorded, transcribed verbatim, and subjected to thematic analysis. Sixteen attributes were identified for the Best–Worst Scale (BWS) in the quantitative survey with 106 participants (64% female, mean age = 27.1 ± 11.9 years), focusing on 2,4-DNP. Demographics, weight satisfaction, and risk for eating disorder data were collected.
Results: In contrast to experienced users such as bodybuilders, our study participants approached 2,4-DNP cautiously. Attributes of 2,4-DNP as a hypothetical weight-loss drug comprised a range of desirable and avoidable features. Of the 16 selected attributes, BWS suggested that long-term side effects were the most and branding was the least important attribute. Effectiveness and short-term side effects were also essential. Those in the >25 year group showed least concerns for legality. Neutral BWS scores for cost, treatment, degree of lifestyle changes required, and specificity required for the hypothetical weight-loss drug to be effective were likely caused by disagreement about their importance among the participants, not indifference.
Conclusion: With advances in research, 2,4-DNP as a pharmaceutical drug in the future for treating neurodegenerative diseases and potentially for weight loss is not inconceivable. Caution is warranted for interpreting the BWS scores. Owing to the difference in what data represent at individual vs. population levels, with pooled data, the method correctly identifies attributes by which most people are satisfied but misrepresents attributes that are individually very important but not universally agreed. Whilst this may be an advantage in marketing applications, it limits the utility of BWS as a research tool.
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Thrower SN, Harwood CG, Spray CM, 'Educating and Supporting Tennis Parents Using Web-Based Delivery Methods: A Novel Online Education Program'
Journal of Applied Sport Psychology 31 (3) (2018) pp.303-323
ISSN: 1041-3200 eISSN: 1533-1571AbstractPublished hereThis study evaluated the effectiveness of a novel online education program for British tennis parents and their experiences of engaging in the program. Using a convergent parallel mixed-methods design, 13 parents completed pre- and post-program online questionnaires, and a subset of 9 participants shared their experiences via an asynchronous e-mail interview. Quantitative findings revealed positive directional changes for almost all of the variables in relation to emotional experiences, goal orientations, tennis parent efficacy, and general parenting efficacy. The contribution of the combined quantitative and qualitative findings and their practical implications are discussed.
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Thrower SN, Harwood CG, Spray CM, 'Educating and supporting tennis parents: an action research study'
Qualitative Research in Sport, Exercise and Health 9 (5) (2017) pp.600-618
ISSN: 2159-676X eISSN: 2159-6778AbstractPublished hereThis study examined the effectiveness of an evidence-based sport parent education programme designed to meet the stage-specific needs of British tennis parents. Using an organisational action research framework, six workshops were run over a 12-week period for tennis parents with children between the ages of 5 and 10 years. Workshops took place in three high performance tennis centres and had an average attendance of 22 parents. Data were collected using participant diaries, emails, social validation feedback forms, reflective diaries and post-programme focus groups (n = 19). The impact and effectiveness of the programme was evaluated qualitatively using a thematic analysis. Results indicated that the programme was effective in enhancing tennis parents’ perceived knowledge, affective states and skills across a range of learning objectives. Results also provide a unique understanding of parents’ experiences of participating in a sport parent education programme. Insights are provided for practitioners in relation to the design, content and delivery of future sport parent education programmes.
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Thrower SN, Harwood CG, Spray CM, 'Educating and supporting tennis parents: A grounded theory of parents’ needs during childhood and early adolescence.'
Sport, Exercise, and Performance Psychology 5 (2) (2016) pp.107-124
ISSN: 2157-3905 eISSN: 2157-3913AbstractPublished hereThe purpose of this study was to identify British tennis parents’ education and support needs across contexts and developmental stages. Data were collected in 2 high-performance tennis centers and consisted of 6 months of fieldwork and interviews with parents, coaches, and ex-youth players (n = 29). Using a grounded theory methodology (Corbin & Strauss, 2008), data were analyzed through a process of open coding, axial coding, and theoretical integration. The resulting grounded theory highlights the need to provide tennis parents with education that covers their introductory needs, organizational needs, development needs, and competition needs during childhood/mini tennis (5–10 years) and early adolescence/junior tennis (11–14 years). The theory is based on the notion that these needs can only be fulfilled if parents are placed in a supportive learning environment that provides them with structured education, the effectiveness of which will be determined by parents’ motivation to learn and ongoing support from key stakeholders (e.g., coaches). The content, structure, and timing of parent education and support in high-performance tennis centers are discussed.
Book chapters
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Thrower SN, Dorsch TE, Knight CJ, Harwood CG, 'Mixing Methods to Advance our Understanding of Parental Stress and Coping in Youth Sport' in Áine Humble, Elise Radina (ed.), How Qualitative Data Analysis Happens: Moving Beyond “Themes Emerged”, Expanded Edition, Routledge (2024)
ISBN: 9781032183213 eISBN: 9781003254041AbstractPublished hereFor over a decade, researchers have been examining parental stress and coping within the context of youth sport. However, studies have overlooked the crucial associations between stressors, appraisals, emotions, and coping, highlighting the need for more sophisticated and innovative research designs to examine the transactional nature of stress. This chapter provides a behind the scenes look at how mixed method research (MMR) has been used to address these limitations and more fully explore psychological stress among sport parents. Drawing on a study of parental stress and coping (Harwood et al., 2019) published in Frontiers in Psychology, the authors illustrate how collecting, analysing, and integrating qualitative and quantitative data within a single study has the ability to offset weaknesses of each approach separately, provide stronger inferences, and generate a more comprehensive understanding of the research problem. This chapter begins by presenting some of the critical debates within the social sciences about MMR, before focusing on how qualitative hierarchical content analysis occurred within the context of a MMR study. Particular emphasis is placed on the process of quantifying the qualitative data for combined analyses to be conducted.
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Petróczi A, Blank C, Thrower S, 'The Athlete Vulnerability in Times of Crisis in Anti-Doping' in Strauss, B., Buenemann, S., Behlau, C., Tietjens, M., & Tamminen, K. (ed.), Psychology of crises in sport, Springer (2024)
AbstractOpen Access on RADARIn this chapter, we provide an overview of crisis decision theory (CDT), as well as the concept of athlete vulnerability, within the context of doping in sport. Specifically, we look at the decisions athletes make about doping, or about following clean sport behaviour, and why. In doing so, we highlight the vulnerability concept followed by the mostly overlooked notion that the reasons for deciding to take the doping behaviour path are not the opposite of the clean sport behaviour path. We present illustrative cases in the CDT framework to show the variety of negative events and ways athletes may become involved in doping, or not, and argue that characteristic doping scenarios do not exist. Consequently, whilst CDT can be a useful tool to capture how individuals assess the severity of the crisis they experience, it lacks the critical subjective element (i.e., meaning-making context), and the importance of past experience and anticipated future. We close the chapter with practical recommendations for anti-doping education to address doping vulnerability in the face of negative events or a crisis, and propose that in the application of CDT to doping/anti-doping decisions, researchers and practitioners should incorporate the meaning-making process into the model.
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Harwood C, Thrower SN, Kramers S, Wylleman P, 'Coaching Psychological and Life Skills through Sport: Advancing the Contemporary Coaching Agenda' in Martin Toms, Ruth Jeanes (ed.), Routledge Handbook of Coaching Children in Sport, Routledge (2022)
ISBN: 9781032058191 eISBN: 9781003199359AbstractPublished hereInterest in the value of sport as a vehicle for promoting positive developmental outcomes for children and young athletes has been longstanding in youth sport psychology research. However, there has been a more evident surge in research over the past 20 years that lies adjacent to more global, public health and well-being concerns over the integrity and safety of organised sport cultures vis-à-vis their duty of care to young people and prevention of athlete mental health issues. Investigations focused on the psychosocial processes of talent development and psychological skills training in youth athletes are paralleled by studies exploring positive youth development (PYD) and life skills interventions through sport. Both avenues of research matter to informing responsibilities in modern-day coaching, yet there has been variable involvement and engagement of the coach in such empirical work. In this chapter, the authors review the existing literature on psychological skills development and life skills development in youth sport in the context of informing and advancing future coaching practice. The authors will consider the importance of advancing contemporary coach education in order to facilitate psychological and life skills development via direct engagement or via indirect, organisational, and cultural strategies. In sum, this chapter will showcase how coaches can implicitly and explicitly optimise both the personal and athletic developmental experiences of the young people they support.
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Thrower SN, Harwood CG, Neely KC, 'Stress-Related Growth within Youth Sport' in Ross Wadey, Melissa Day, Karen Howells (ed.), Growth Following Adversity in Sport, Routledge (2020)
ISBN: 9780367223809 eISBN: 9781003058021AbstractPublished hereStudies have highlighted the stressful nature of youth sport for parents and young athletes and the negative impact this can have on their experiences and involvement. However, there is growing evidence to suggest that stressful and adverse events have the potential to facilitate long-term growth. In this chapter, we explore the individual and shared stressors associated with youth sport participation for both young athletes and their parents. Following this, we adopt a dyadic perspective and review studies that have examined how parent–child interactions in youth sport contexts may act as a catalyst for growth and positively influence the broader parent–child relationship. Drawing upon this body of work, we offer a number of future recommendations targeted towards the need to understand how each of the aforementioned areas of research can be effectively integrated in order to advance research in this area. We conclude by highlighting the need for greater attention to be paid to the environmental contexts (e.g., supportive parent–child relationships) that are likely to promote positive change following stress or adversity within youth sport.
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Harwood CG, Thrower SN, 'Motivational climate in youth sport groups' in Mark W. Bruner, Mark A. Eys and Luc J. Martin (ed.), Motivational climate in youth sport groups, Academic Press (2020)
ISBN: 9780128163368AbstractPublished hereDespite lesser empirical attention on the role of achievement motivation within group dynamics in sport, there is growing evidence as to how motivational climates can influence both the structure, functioning, and outcomes of youth sport groups. To this end, the aim of this chapter was to review the research that has examined how motivational climates affect intrapersonal, interpersonal, and group level outcomes in youth sport. First, we provide an overview of achievement goal theory (Nicholls, 1984) and Ames’ (1992) motivational climate as a guiding framework. Following this we highlight how the perceived motivational climate can influence intrapersonal (e.g., competence, effort) and interpersonal outcomes (e.g., relationships). Furthermore, we illustrate how motivational climates can affect the structure (e.g., group norms), emergent states (e.g., cohesion, collective efficacy) and processes (e.g., social loafing) in youth sport groups. Finally, we highlight key developmental considerations and offer future research directions.
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Dorsch TE, Thrower SN, Lowe K, 'Parent involvement in youth sport: developmental considerations regarding children, adolescents, and emerging adults' in Mark W. Bruner, Mark A. Eys and Luc J. Martin (ed.), Parent involvement in youth sport: developmental considerations regarding children, adolescents, and emerging adults, Academic Press (2020)
ISBN: 9780128163368AbstractPublished hereYouth sport occurs primarily through the complex and repeated interactions of multiple individuals in the youth sport ecosystem. Among the many individuals who engage with youth in sport, parents have arguably the most significant impact on athletes’ early experiences. As parents continue to invest a growing percentage of resources into their children's sport participation, what constitutes “appropriate” and “optimal” parent involvement has become an important area of debate among researchers, stakeholders, coaches, and parents. The purpose of this chapter is to highlight parent involvement in youth sport as an important group dynamics process that occurs across the three formative life stages of childhood, adolescence, and emerging adulthood. In pursuing this aim, the chapter focuses on how interdisciplinary research on families has informed the study of parent involvement in youth sport and explicates how this work may be extended via a group dynamics lens.
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Harwood CG, Thrower SN, 'Parenting in Sport' in Dictionary of Sport Psychology (1st Edition), Elsevier (2019)
ISBN: 9780128131503 eISBN: 9780128131510AbstractPublished hereParenting in its broadest sense refers to the caregiving processes and practices that parents engage with in relation to the nurturance and development of their child. The process of parenting typically lasts from infancy through into adulthood and is usually (although not always) conducted by the biological mother and/or father. Parenting practices tend to change over time and across contexts in accordance with their child’s age and developmental needs. Within the context of youth sport, parents typically fulfil a wide range of different roles and responsibilities. These roles include providing opportunities for their child to participate in sport, helping children to make sense of and interpret their experiences, and role modelling appropriate attitudes and behaviours (Fredricks & Eccles, 2004). As a result, parents play a crucial role in increasing the chances for their child to have a positive psychosocial experience, develop a range of positive developmental outcomes and to achieve their sporting potential (Harwood & Knight, 2015). When attempting to fulfil these roles, parents display different parenting styles and behaviours. Parenting style refers to the broad way in which a parent interacts with their child and reflects the parent’s attitude toward their child that creates an emotional climate in which the parent’s behaviours are expressed (Darling & Steinberg, 1993). For example, parents differ in the extent to which they show warmth, love and acceptance towards their child, provide structure and guidance and promote autonomous behaviors. There is a general consensus that more authoritative or autonomy-supportive parenting styles are associated with positive child outcomes in sport. However, within their general parenting approach, parents also display more specific parenting practices. These parenting practices are the goal directed behaviours and techniques though which parents perform their parenting responsibilities and duties (Darling & Steinberg, 1993). Therefore, parenting styles represent parent-child interactions across a wide range of settings whilst parenting practices are context or domain specific (i.e., home, training, competition). The practices and behaviours that parents display in sport influence children’s experiences and perceptions of their own parents’ involvement (i.e., as supportive or pressurising). Supportive parenting can be broadly defined as “athletes’ perceptions of his or her parents’ behavior aimed at facilitating his or her involvement and participation in sport” (Leff and Hoyle, 1995, p.190). Supportive behaviours have been associated with a wide range of desirable child outcomes (e.g., positive sporting experiences, enjoyment, perceived competence, intrinsic motivation) and are critical to children’s sport participation and development. In contrast, parental pressure is considered as “behavior exhibited by a parent that is perceived by their child as indicating high, unlikely, or possibly unattainable expectations” (Leff and Hoyle, 1995, p.190). Such behaviors have been linked with a number of undesirable or negative child outcomes in sport including fear of failure, higher anxiety, lower self-esteem, lower confidence, poor sportspersonship, burnout, and dropout. There are numerous individual, relational and environmental factors that affect parenting styles and behaviours in sport and children’s overall perceptions of their parent’s involvement (Knight, Berrow & Harwood, 2017). For instance, characteristics such as gender, income, employment status, and number of children are all considered to impact on parenting in sport. In addition to this, individual parent’s goals and expectations for their child, knowledge and experience of the sport, and previous sport experience have all been shown to influence parental involvement. Furthermore, there is growing evidence to suggest that the quality of the relationship between parents and children plays a crucial role in influencing parents’ behaviour particularly during competitions. Beyond individual and relational factors, the culture of youth sport, the financial and time commitment, coaches and other parents have all been found to influence parenting in sport.
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Harwood CG, Thrower SN, 'Youth Sport' in Dictionary of Sport Psychology: Sport, Exercise, and Performing Arts, Elsevier (2019)
ISBN: 9780128131503AbstractYouth sport in its broadest sense refers to sport skill development sessions and competitive events participated in by children and adolescents, typically under 18 years of age (Vealey & Chase, 2016). For this reason, youth sport can be considered as an ‘umbrella term’ which is used to describe a wide range of individual, partner and team sport activities for young people. These activities vary significantly in terms of amount of adult involvement, level and intensity of competition and reasons for participation (Knight & Holt, 2011). However, in recent years, the term ‘youth sport’ has become synonymous with adult-structured and organised competitive events. Such events usually (although not always) take the form of a race, match, or game between two or more participants. Youth sport competitions are governed by specific sets of rules and equipment, which are often modified based on the age and developmental stage of the participants. Competitions are usually organised by chronological age (e.g., under 10’s, under 16’s) and skill level (e.g., school, recreational, club, regional, national and international), although some youth sports are starting to group children in accordance with their physical growth and maturation. It is the regulated, structured and competitive nature of youth sport, which distinguishes it from physical education and physical activity. However, given that youth sport participation typically requires some form of physical exertion, it can be considered as a specific form of physical activity. Participation in youth sport has long been associated with a range of benefits for children and young people, including positive physical (e.g., cardiovascular fitness, reduced body fat, improved muscular strength and endurance, flexibility and bone structure), psychological (e.g., higher self-esteem, well-being, life-satisfaction and happiness), intellectual (e.g., academic achievement, school attendance, adult career achievement) and social development (e.g., social skills, positive peer relationships, leadership skills) (see Holt, 2008). However, youth sport involvement has also been linked to a range of negative outcomes, including sport-related injuries, body image concerns, eating disorders, low confidence and self-esteem, high levels of aggression and violence, poor sportspersonship (e.g., cheating), performance-enhancing drug use and dropout/burnout. This is particularly the case if there has been an overemphasis placed on winning from an early age. As such, the extent to which involvement in youth sport leads to either positive or negative experiences and outcomes is largely determined by adult involvement (i.e., parenting, coaching), the prevailing culture, and the design of youth sport programmes. Providers of organised youth sport programmes typically come from the public, private and commercial sectors. As a result, youth sport programmes can be broadly considered as being either school (e.g., intramural sport, interschool sport, and school-based sport camps) or non-school based (e.g., community programmes, local clubs and leagues, sport camps, sport academies; Vealey & Chase, 2016). However, these programmes differ significantly in terms of their focus, objectives, and inclusion criteria. For example, some youth sport programmes focus on fun and enjoyment and are open to all participants irrespective of their skill level. Other youth sport programmes target specific ‘at risk’ populations and attempt to use sport as a vehicle to prevent young people from engaging in risky, illegal and/or anti-social behaviours (e.g., alcohol, drugs, crime). Many contemporary programmes are attempting to use sport as a way to develop life skills and promote positive youth development outcomes. However, there are equally increasing numbers of organised youth sport programmes which identify and select talented young athletes, focus on sport skill development and are primarily concerned with optimising opportunities for young athletes to develop and progress towards an elite level.
Other publications
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Harwood CG, Shanmuganathan-Felton V, Thrower SN
, 'The psychology behind sports performance', (2023)
AbstractPublished hereHave you ever watched sport on TV and wondered how athletes like LeBron James, Serena Williams, Lionel Messi, Simone Biles, and Virat Kohli are able to perform so well in front of thousands of people? Just the thought of it is enough to make most people throw up and pass out! For over 100 years, sport psychologists (scientists interested in how the brain influences sport performance) have been studying athletes and teams in order to understand more about the psychology behind successful sport performance. These scientific studies have uncovered some fascinating insights regarding what it takes to become an elite athlete and perform at the highest level. In this collection, we will reveal some of the secrets that sport psychologists have uncovered in relation to sport performance. Specifically, we will highlight what has been learnt from research which has explored elite athletes’ background, their personalities, what motivates them, how they are able to maintain their concentration, where they get their confidence from, and how they are able to cope under pressure. The collection will help children and young athletes understand how the way they think and feel in different situations influences their performances, and how those in their surrounding environment (e.g., coaches, parents, friends, and teammates) can influence their performances and long-term development. These insights are not only exciting, they start to highlight how young athletes can play a crucial role in enhancing their own performances both within and outside of sport (e.g., school, music, performing arts, and dance).
Professional information
Memberships of professional bodies
- Associate Editor, Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology
- External Examiner, Sport & Exercise Psychology, University of Chichester
- Fellow of the Higher Education Academy
- Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society (AFBPsS)
- British Psychological Society Chartered Psychologist (Membership Number: 500690)
- Member of the International Society of Qualitative Research in Sport and Exercise (QRSE)