Nadja Walter

Viel Bewegung, Sporttreiben und Training ist in den meisten Fällen positiv zu bewerten und wünschenswert. Manchmal wird Sport jedoch auch zwanghaft und obsessiv betrieben, was den Beginn einer sich entwickelnden Sportsucht darstellen kann. Gesamtgesellschaftlich betrachtet ist Sportsucht wenig relevant, dafür wiegen im Einzelfall die mit Sportsucht verbundenen Probleme schwer: Überlastungsschäden, Infekte, psychische Komorbiditäten, soziale Isolation oder Vernachlässigung von Familie und Beruf. Dieser Beitrag gibt einen Überblick zum Phänomen Sportsucht und möchte hierdurch Physiotherapeut*innen für die Symptomatik betroffener Person sensibilisieren.

Eating disorders and disordered eating threaten athletes’ health and performance. Coaches are key in detecting early warning signs but often lack sufficient knowledge. This study evaluates an educational intervention for coaches. An exploratory controlled quasi-experimental study included 52 German coaches from various sports. Coaches in the intervention group ( n = 21) participated in a 180-min workshop, and coaches in a waiting-list control group ( n = 31) served as a comparison. Assessments were conducted at baseline, postintervention, and follow-up, examining perceived changes in knowledge (overall and specific), awareness, and competence (overall and action), using t tests or nonparametric alternatives. Results showed that the intervention group significantly improved in all variables both after the intervention and at follow-up. Compared with the waiting list control group, they demonstrated significantly higher competence and knowledge postintervention, as well as greater knowledge, awareness, and action competence at follow-up. Findings indicate that the workshop may be valuable for coaches’ education.

Zusammenfassung: Eine starke und positive Trainer_in-Athlet_in-Beziehung wird als wesentlich für sportliche Leistung erachtet und ist mit positiven Begleiterscheinungen wie erhöhter Zufriedenheit, Wohlbefinden und Motivation von Trainer_innen und Athlet_innen assoziiert ( Jowett, 2017 ). Der vorliegende Beitrag beschreibt die theoriegeleitete Konzeption eines zweiteiligen Workshop-Programms, das inhaltlich die Trainer_in-Athlet_in-Beziehung und deren Kommunikation fokussiert. Das Workshop-Programm adressiert im Leistungssport tätige Trainer_innen und umfasst einen 3-stündigen Auftakt- und drei sich anschließende 4-stündige Intensiv-Workshops. Die theoretische Grundlage bildeten das 3+1 C Modell sowie das COMPASS Modell ( Jowett & Lavallee, 2007 ; Rhind & Jowett, 2010 ), während das DOSB-Kompetenzmodell ( Sygusch et al., 2020a , b ) als didaktische Grundlage genutzt wurde. Neben den konzeptionellen Überlegungen werden speziell auch Hinweise zur Durchführung als Erfahrungswerte sowie als Ergebnis der qualitativen Evaluation der ersten Implementierung reflektiert. Letztere zeigen, dass neben dem (sportartübergreifenden) fachlichen Austausch die praxisnahen Übungen sowie die Möglichkeit zur Reflexion positiv bewertet wurden. Gleichzeitig wurde der Wunsch nach stärkerer Individualisierung geäußert.

The coach−athlete relationship that develops over an athletic career is fundamental to athletic performance. This study examined the psychometric properties of the German version of the Coach−Athlete Relationship Questionnaire (CART-Q) from the perspective of coaches and athletes. 229 coaches and 515 athletes from numerous sports and competitive levels participated. The CART-Q shows good internal consistency. A confirmatory factor analysis replicated the factorial structure of the original English CART-Q for the German coach (CFI = .929, TLI = .902, RMSEA = .095, SRMR = .052) and athlete versions (CFI = .950, TLI = .934, RMSEA = .093, SRMR = .043). The CART-Q’s construct validity appeared in associations with relationship satisfaction and perceived coach leadership behaviors. Furthermore, concurrent correlations with leadership behavior indicated criterion validity. The results suggest that the German CART-Q is a reliable and valid instrument for research and applied settings.

As an athlete’s moral disengagement is one of the strongest predictors for doping intention, the purpose of the present study was to validate a German version of the Moral Disengagement in Doping Scale (MDDS; Kavussanu et al., 2016 ) by examining its psychometric properties. In a sample of 1,038 athletes, confirmatory factor analyses (CFAs) replicated the postulated one-dimensional structure of the scale, and further analyses indicated acceptable internal consistency and retest reliability. Multigroup CFAs confirmed the measurement invariance across different subsamples as well as across male and female participants. Moreover, construct (criterion) validity was established in a subsample of 724 athletes through correlations between the MDDS-D and related constructs such as doping intention and susceptibility, anticipated guilt, and collective moral norms. Taken together, these results suggest that the MDDS-D is a suitable instrument for measuring doping moral disengagement in the German language area, which may be especially beneficial for the evaluation of doping prevention programs focusing on moral variables.

Introduction: This brief report and study protocol emphasizes the growing recognition of the importance of mental health in young elite athletes, particularly during the vulnerable phase of adolescence, where bio-psycho-social demands are significant. It presents the 2Steps4Health project, which aims to reduce the risk of mental illness and enhance well-being by addressing stressors and empowering young elite athletes with coping strategies. Methods: 2Steps4Health is a stepped-care prevention program for young elite athletes aged 12–21 and comprises two levels (universal and indicated prevention). The evaluation study employs a longitudinal (quasi-) randomized intervention study design with a waiting control group, and it aims to equip participants with psychological skills to enhance overall well-being and resilience. The effectiveness of the program will be assessed using empirically validated questionnaires, with specific hypotheses for both prevention levels regarding life satisfaction, stress, recovery, self-esteem, and internalizing symptoms. Results: Available data will be analyzed using univariate repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVAs), allowing for both within and between group comparisons. Conclusion: With the help of its two prevention levels, 2Steps4Health combines clinical psychology approaches for symptom reduction with positive psychology for flourishing. Anticipated challenges include tight schedules and mental health stigma, addressed by offering group programs during training times and fostering support through connections with authorities. The project emphasizes the need for additional prevention actions targeting institutional factors influencing the mental health of young elite athletes.

Introduction: Recent studies indicate high prevalences of disordered eating or eating disorders in adult athletes and a worrying increase in adolescent athletes. Although several risk factors for developing eating disorders have been identified for adult athletes (e.g., personality factors, sport-related pressure), research on risk factors in adolescent athletes is scarce. Methods: This study investigates the prevalence of disordered eating and eating disorder symptoms and its association with personality- and sport-related risk factors in a sample of 439 elite athletes aged 13–18 years. Self-regulatory personality factors, sports and social pressure, as well as sports biographical data, were investigated in relation to different weight control methods and the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire measuring disordered eating and eating disorder symptoms. Results: Results indicate a prevalence rate of clinically significant eating pathology of 5.5% for the total sample, in which female athletes aged 15–18 years show the highest rate (9.6%). The structural equation model indicates a predominant association of sports and social pressure and personality factors with eating disorder symptoms. Conclusion: Being in the age range 15–18 years, being female, and being an athlete in a high-risk sport (e.g., aesthetics, weight class, or endurance sports) were identified as risk factors as well as athletes’ mental association with weight loss and success, and athletes’ perceived social pressure on eating and on body shape. Disordered eating and eating disorders are not only of concern for adults but also for young elite athletes and recommendations for adolescent elite athletes, coaches, and parents are given.