Extreme weight control behaviors among adolescent athletes: Links with weight-related maltreatment from parents and coaches and sport ethic norms.

The use of extreme weight-control behaviors is prevalent among adolescent athletes and may result from individual and sport-specific factors. Weight-related maltreatment from coaches and parents, and conformity to sport ethic norms have recently been linked to the use of extreme weight-control behaviors. This study aims to investigate the role of sport ethic norms and weight-related maltreatment from coaches and parents in the use of extreme weight-control behaviors among adolescent athletes. A sample of 999 French-Canadian athletes aged 14-17 years competing in a variety of sports completed an online survey assessing extreme weight-control behaviors, weight-related maltreatment from coaches and parents, and conformity to sport ethic norms. A total of 16.9% of the adolescent athletes reported having adopted extreme weight-control behaviors during their athletic careers. Extreme weight-control behaviors were significantly more prevalent among girls (19.75% vs 9.7% in boys) and weight-class-sport athletes (44%). In addition, 7.4% of the sample experienced at least one type of weight-related maltreatment by coaches or parents. Sex, weight-related neglect by coaches and parents, and weight-related psychological violence by coaches explained 24.4% of extreme weight-control behaviors variance. Indeed, participants who engaged in extreme weight-control behaviors experienced significantly more violence than the other participants did. In contrast, no differences were observed between people who engaged in extreme weight-control behaviors and those who did not due to conformity to sport ethic norms.

How Many Concussions Would It Take for Athletes to Choose to Discontinue Participation in Their Primary Sport?

The process by which athletes decide to continue or discontinue sport participation after concussion has not been explicated. Intercollegiate and club sport athletes (N = 394) completed an online survey that included assessments of demographic factors, the total number of concussions (and anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears) that would prompt sport retirement, concussion history, and athletic identity. On average, participants reported that they would retire from their primary sport after sustaining 3 to 4 concussions (and approximately 2 ACL tears). The total number of concussions reported was negatively correlated with the number of additional concussions it would take to precipitate sport retirement. Athletic identity was positively associated with the number of concussions that participants with a history of one or more concussions reported would prompt them to retire from their primary sport. The results provide information of potential utility to professionals implementing concussion education programs and working with athletes at risk of experiencing concussion.

How far is too far? Understanding identity and overconformity in collegiate wrestlers.

Athletes are expected to distinguish themselves from their peers, make sacrifices for the good of the game, play through pain and injury, and push physical and mental limits on the path to achieve their goals. Collectively, these expectations are known as the 'sport ethic' and while they are considered part of sport culture, athletes who overconform to them engage in behaviours that pose potentially serious health risks. To explore athlete identity and deviant overconformity, this study was designed within a psychocultural life story framework using a constructivist-interpretivist paradigm. Three Division I wrestlers provided interview data for analysis. Following provisional and narrative coding, a word cloud and creative nonfiction were used to present results. Participants described a process of overconformity to the sport ethic that supported and extended previous research. Results indicated that the participants believed that because athletes must push boundaries in order to find success, they cannot go 'too far'. Moreover, they reported that their athlete identity held significant personal and social meaning to the extent that they willingly engaged in forms of deviant overconformity. Recommendations for future research include studies with other sport populations (e.g. other sports, competitive levels, cultural backgrounds) and the development of an instrument to measure athletes' degrees of deviant overconforming. Practitioners may use this research to understand the health-compromising behaviours used by their clients in an effort to obtain athletic success, which may improve treatment planning and outcomes.