Mar 4, 2025 03:53 AM
https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1075229
INTRO: Nearly 1 in 5 college athletes reports some form of abusive supervision—defined as sustained hostile verbal and non-verbal behaviours—by their coaches, reveals an analysis of survey responses, involving National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) athletes, and published online in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.
While there is no evidence of vulnerability according to race/ethnicity, sexual orientation, or gender, athletes with disabilities and those participating in team sports seem to be most at risk, the findings indicate.
Athletes view their coaches as role models, which makes their interactions susceptible to supervised abuse, say the researchers.
“While transformational leadership can inspire players and impart valuable life lessons that positively impact athletes’ play and contribute to their development, an unethical leader can severely negatively affect an athlete’s mental health, quality of life, and wellbeing in adulthood,” they point out.
Given that most coaches identify as White, male, cisgender, able-bodied and straight, the researchers wanted to find out if race/ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation and disability, were distinguishing features of abusive coach supervision.
They drew on data from the 2021–22 myPlaybook survey administered by the University of North Carolina Greensboro Institute to Promote Athlete Health & Wellness in collaboration with Stanford University’s Sports Equity Lab. The dataset included 4337 NCAA athletes from 123 universities across the USA... (MORE - details, no ads)
INTRO: Nearly 1 in 5 college athletes reports some form of abusive supervision—defined as sustained hostile verbal and non-verbal behaviours—by their coaches, reveals an analysis of survey responses, involving National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) athletes, and published online in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.
While there is no evidence of vulnerability according to race/ethnicity, sexual orientation, or gender, athletes with disabilities and those participating in team sports seem to be most at risk, the findings indicate.
Athletes view their coaches as role models, which makes their interactions susceptible to supervised abuse, say the researchers.
“While transformational leadership can inspire players and impart valuable life lessons that positively impact athletes’ play and contribute to their development, an unethical leader can severely negatively affect an athlete’s mental health, quality of life, and wellbeing in adulthood,” they point out.
Given that most coaches identify as White, male, cisgender, able-bodied and straight, the researchers wanted to find out if race/ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation and disability, were distinguishing features of abusive coach supervision.
They drew on data from the 2021–22 myPlaybook survey administered by the University of North Carolina Greensboro Institute to Promote Athlete Health & Wellness in collaboration with Stanford University’s Sports Equity Lab. The dataset included 4337 NCAA athletes from 123 universities across the USA... (MORE - details, no ads)