Elite Female Swimmers' Experiences of Emotional Abuse Across Time

ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to investigate athletes' experiences of emotional abuse. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 14 retired, elite, female swimmers and data were analyzed inductively using a grounded theory approach. Results revealed that the athletes experienced emotional abuse in the coach-athlete relationship and that these experiences varied across an athlete's career. The same emotionally abusive behaviours were experienced differently at various stages of an athlete's career. Furthermore, an athlete's affective response to emotional abuse was dependent on the athlete's perceived performance and cultural acquiescence, as reflected in the phases of normalization and rebellion. A model of the process by which athletes experience emotional abuse over time is proposed. Implications of these findings are discussed and recommendations are made for future study.

[1]  L. H. Pelton,et al.  Child abuse and neglect: the myth of classlessness. , 1978, The American journal of orthopsychiatry.

[2]  B. Turner,et al.  Grounded Theory and Organizational Research , 1986 .

[3]  Ronald E. Smith,et al.  Toward a Cognitive-Affective Model of Athletic Burnout , 1986 .

[4]  M. Crawford,et al.  Women and Gender: A Feminist Psychology , 1992 .

[5]  F W Manguyu,et al.  Child abuse and neglect. , 2018, East African medical journal.

[6]  B. Brewer.  Self-identity and specific vulnerability to depressed mood. , 1993, Journal of personality.

[7]  D. Gould,et al.  Personal Motivation Gone Awry: Burnout in Competitive Athletes , 1996 .

[8]  D. Glaser,et al.  Is the term child protection applicable to emotional abuse , 1997 .

[9]  C. Dresler.  Physical and emotional problems of elite female gymnasts. , 1997, The New England journal of medicine.

[10]  Celia Brackenridge,et al.  PLAYING SAFE , 1997 .

[11]  Anselm L. Strauss,et al.  Basics of qualitative research : techniques and procedures for developing grounded theory , 1998 .

[12]  James A. Crone.  Toward a theory of sport. , 1999 .

[13]  G. Kerr,et al.  The retirement experiences of elite, female gymnasts , 2000 .

[14]  L. Johnston,et al.  A critical evaluation of training needs for child protection in UK sport , 2000 .

[15]  D. Mack,et al.  Athletic Identity in Marathon Runners: Functional Focus or Dysfunctional Commitment? , 2000 .

[16]  Jan Toftegaard Nielsen,et al.  THE FORBIDDEN ZONE , 2001 .

[17]  L. Johnston,et al.  The name of the game: a review of sexual exploitation of females in sport. , 2001, Current women's health reports.

[18]  D. Glaser.  Emotional abuse and neglect (psychological maltreatment): a conceptual framework. , 2002, Child abuse & neglect.

[19]  C. Brackenridge.  '. . . so what?' Attitudes of the voluntary sector towards child protection in sports clubs , 2002 .

[20]  Helge Hoel,et al.  Bullying and emotional abuse in the workplace : international perspectives in research and practice , 2002 .

[21]  A. Hubert.  To prevent and overcome undesirable interaction: A systematic approach model , 2002 .

[22]  G. Kerr,et al.  Conceptualizing Excellence: Past, Present, and Future , 2002 .

[23]  J. H. Hoffman,et al.  Jocks, Gender, Race, and Adolescent Problem Drinking , 2003, Journal of drug education.

[24]  D. Iwaniec.  Identifying and Dealing with Emotional Abuse and Neglect , 2003 .

[25]  P. McCrory,et al.  Child protection in sport , 2004, British Journal of Sports Medicine.

[26]  N. Dunn,et al.  The emotional abuse of elite child athletes by their coaches , 2004 .

[27]  Robyn L. Jones,et al.  Slim Bodies, Eating Disorders and the Coach-Athlete Relationship , 2005 .

[28]  B. Harris.  Coach and athlete burnout : the role of coaches' decision-making style , 2005 .

[29]  D. Zapf,et al.  Individual Antecedents of Bullying: Victims and Perpetrators , 2010 .

[30]  Robert A. Baron,et al.  Social Antecedents of Bullying: A Social Interactionist Perspective , 2010 .