Âé¶¹´«Ã½AV

Article

Female athletes' experiences of positive growth following deselection in sport

Details

Citation

Neely KC, Dunn JGH, McHugh TF & Holt NL (2018) Female athletes' experiences of positive growth following deselection in sport. Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 40 (4), pp. 173-185. https://doi.org/10.1123/jsep.2017-0136

Abstract
The purpose of this study was to explore female athletes¡¯ experiences of positive growth following deselection from provincial sport teams. Interviews were conducted with 18 women (Mage?=?22.45 years, SD?=?1.38) who were deselected from provincial soccer, ice hockey, and volleyball teams as adolescents. Interpretative phenomenological analysis methodology was used. The analysis was guided by Tedeschi and Calhoun¡¯s model of posttraumatic growth. Results showed that participants questioned their identity and ability as athletes following deselection. Growth was a gradual process that unfolded over several years, experienced through a greater appreciation of the role of sport in the participants¡¯ lives and sport becoming a priority, an enhanced sense of personal strength, developing closer social relationships, and a recognition of new and other opportunities. These findings show that cognitive processes and social relationships are critical components in the process of positive growth.

Keywords
phenomenology; posttraumatic growth; youth sport

Journal
Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology: Volume 40, Issue 4

StatusPublished
Publication date31/08/2018
Publication date online30/08/2018
Date accepted by journal08/06/2018
URL
ISSN0895-2779
eISSN1543-2904

Files (1)