Daniel J. M. Fleming

Sport is frequently positioned as a context for positive development. However, athletes may face unique risks for interpersonal violence in coach–athlete and authority–athlete relationships alongside adverse experiences outside of sporting contexts. Given that little quantitative research considers both sources of trauma in relation to athlete mental health, the current study was designed to explore how coach violence, authority violence, and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) contribute to mental health symptomology. Drawing on attachment theory, athlete mental health is recognized to be shaped by both prior developmental adversity and ongoing relational dynamics within sport. To examine these connections, participants ( N = 341, M _age = 21.72 years, SD _age = 4.56, 80.4% female) were a mixture of current and former athletes, with the majority identifying as White women from a Western region of the United States. Robust multiple regression analyses highlighted that coach violence, authority violence, and ACEs were associated with depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and dissociation. Interactions between coach violence and ACEs were associated with anxiety, depression, and dissociation, while a three-way interaction among coach violence, authority violence, and ACEs was associated with PTSD. These findings support the view that athletes are not blank slates upon entering sport; instead, pre-existing trauma and histories may shape their vulnerability to further harm and influence how they respond to relational dynamics within the sport environment. Rather than viewing sport participation as uniformly protective, results underscore the need to consider how developmental histories and interpersonal dynamics jointly shape athlete well-being. By integrating developmental theory and trauma-informed principles, this research provides insights into how practitioners can recognize signs of trauma, minimize re-traumatization, and create emotionally safe environments to promote mental health and relational safety in sport.

Background: The public often places value on youth sport involvement in the United States due to its potential to foster positive outcomes for participants. Although sport parents are key socializers and provide access to appropriate participation opportunities for children, less is known about how their perceptions of their child’s motives influence their sport commitments. Purpose: Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to understand how parents’ perceptions of their child’s motives for sport participation were associated with time/travel sport commitments. Methods: Participants (N = 1250) were parents in the United States reporting on their child’s youth sport participation. Measures assessed their perceptions of their child’s motives for sport involvement, how many hours per week and months per year they engaged in sport, and how far they tended to drive to facilitate sport opportunities. Multiple regressions were utilized. Results: Analyses revealed that the number of months per year was positively predicted by motives for being physically healthy and spending time with friends. Similarly, being with friends was a positive predictor of the number of weekly hours spent in organized sport and having fun positively predicted the distance driven to participate. Motives for becoming more physically attractive negatively predicted time and travel commitments. Conclusions: Overall, the present study sheds light on how the ways parents perceive their children’s motivations for participating in youth sport influences parents’ commitment to facilitating sport participation opportunities for their children.

Incivility has negative consequences for healthcare professionals, healthcare organizations and patient care. There is limited understanding about the effect of incivility within physiotherapy. The purpose of this study was to explore the views and experiences of physiotherapists regarding incivility. A convergent mixed-methods approach was utilized via a cross-sectional survey. 339 participants completed the survey which included the Workplace Incivility Scale. A moderated regression model was fit to understand if, and how, band and gender interact as it pertains to incivility. Open-ended responses were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis. Workplace incivility scale responses revealed that Band 5 males experience higher levels of incivility than select other groups. Specifically, band 5 males perceived higher levels of incivility than band 6 females t(326) = -3.39, p = .018, band 7 females t(326) = -3.42, p = .016, band 6 males t(326) = -3.52, p = .011, and band 8 males t(326) = -3.11, p = .043. Thematic analysis of 179 open question responses led to four themes:1) the complexity of healthcare work at the root of incivility in physiotherapy practice;2) manifestations of incivility in the workplace; 3)the negative impact of incivility on individuals and organizations; and 4) addressing and mitigating incivility. The novel findings of this study have revealed that incivility affects physiotherapists across the spectrum of their career and has a negative impact on them professionally and personally.