This dissertation is comprised of three main sections. The first chapter is a historical overview of the coach-athlete relationships literature within sport. The review was conducted to consider as much empirical evidence as possible concerning coach-athlete relationships. This chapter examines and provides a comprehensive overview of past and current literature examining the coach-athlete relationship. Historical origins, contemporary models, other influences on the relationship, and coach-athlete interactive behaviours were examined. The second chapter is a qualitative study, guided by a phenomenological method of research. Semi-structured interviews were conducted and recorded with 10 of the most successful team sport coaches within Canadian Inter-university Sport (CIS) from 2002-2012. Following in depth coach interviews, interpretive research and bracketing and themes were used to identify key components from the interviews. A final thematic structure disclosing five major dimensions contributed to common factors the role relationships play in coach-athlete success, identified as: recruitment, communication, caring, culture, and trust. Findings resulted in the creation of a tool that assists in visualizing the reciprocal relationships between revealed dimensions and themes within a coach-athlete relationship (R-CART; Reciprocating Coach-Athlete Relationship Tool). Finally a qualitative longitudinal case study was conducted examine the evolution of the CAR over a season and to assess the impact of a visual tool to help guide coaches in enhancing the CAR. Two post-secondary teams and head coaches were chosen, one female and one male. The process of the study included an initial modification process of the R-CART, initiating the R-CART through a multiple qualitative case study, data analysis of case studies and further amendment of the R-CART. Team athletes were provided with an 11-item Coach-Athlete Relationship Questionnaire (CART-Q) and additional comments to evaluate the coach-athlete relationship. Results from the CART-Q were considered and cross-referenced with the R-CART, coach interviews and interventions ensued based on the student-athlete feedback. The findings suggested subtle amendments to the model and the R-CART potentially is a trustworthy tool for coaches developing, maintaining, and repairing the coach-athlete relationship. Collectively, this dissertation has expanded the current knowledge of coach-athlete relationships, providing coaches with a prospective tool for advancement in the area of coach-athlete relationships. Future research should aim to examine the role coach-athlete relationships in different context, such as grassroots sport, and look at the potential impact of the R-CART in those areas. / Graduate / 2017-04-21

The purpose of this study is to investigate which motivational factors cause teenagers to remain in competitive taekwondo. Some teenagers, especially during high school seem to experience serious difficulties maintaining motivation towards sport. The reason for this may be caused by inhibitory factors such as such as burnout, degenerated motivation, counteracting hobbies associated with adolescence and lack of support from peers, coaches and parents as well as early specialization. Using a qualitative thematic analysis and semi-structured interviews, this study analyzed the motivation factors and its relation to the coach within three Swedish taekwondo organizations located in southern and northern part of the country within the framework of Self-determination theory. The current findings indicate motives such as interest/enjoyment, individual development, positive feedback, challenge/competition and a sense of competence as well as autonomy support as highest motivators for sports participation within taekwondo. In contrast, lack of psychological needs such as sense of competence and autonomy were determining reasons for dropout. In parallel, motives such as encouragement, “break from reality”, group cohesion, security and a sense of relatedness also seem to play a critical role, although not essential for the actual participation. Nonetheless, according to the participants, highly important in order to thrive. In that regard, the coach has great influence upon the well-being and satisfaction of the psychological needs associated with Self-determination theory. Which is based upon the environment and specific coach behavior which directly or indirectly facilitates the participants’ sense of autonomy, competence and relatedness. According to the participants, an environment and coach behavior such as democracy, discipline, high social interaction, equity, and person-oriented verbal reinforcement, encouragement, competence, and empathy as well as strong coach-athlete relationship facilitates and regulates how they perceive the psychological needs autonomy, competence and relatedness.

The study was aimed to (1) explore how coaches and youth golfers perceive a healthy coach-athlete relationship and (2) what they do to facilitate such a relationship. This was made by doing a qualitative small-q study, interviewing coaches and youth-golfers using semi-structured interview guides. Two interview guides were formed to give the study both coach and athlete perspectives; the number of interviews was 10, with 5 coaches and 5 athletes participating. The coaches had between 20 to 37 years of experience coaching golfers and the athletes had been competing between 5 to 15 years nationally and internationally. The interviews resulted in two main themes reflecting the two objectives, (1) defining a healthy coach-athlete relationship and (2) strategies to facilitate such a relationship.  As the study hade both perspectives the conclusion could be made resulting with a definition of healthy coach-athlete relationship. The definition was as follows, A healthy coach-athlete relationship is the relationship that is coach-athlete centered, characterized by open and honest communication, mutual trust and respect, work-fun balance and caring altogether ensuring positive influences on athletes’ and coaches’ mental health and wellbeing, professional/athletic and personal development. There were nine strategies, such as, commit by doing what is agreed, dialogues contribute to learning and relationship, and skilfully balance serious work and fun. Both main themes reflected the 4C framework (Jowett & Shanmugam, 2016), which proves a connection between healthy and effective coach-athlete relationship. The discussion connects and compares the result to former research, such as the 4C-framwork and discuss, method, future research, implications, and sums it with a conclusion.

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Over the last 40 years, the field of sport psychology has generated a growing body of literature on the coach-athlete relationship, driven by the recognition that the quality of this dyad can play an important role in an athlete's experiences in sport. Despite strong evidence suggesting that Self-Determination Theory (SDT) accurately reflects processes within this relationship, which promote or undermine intrinsic motivation, there is room to deepen contemporary understandings of coach-athlete dyads by assessing the role of athlete individual differences within this theory. Sixty-seven male athletes (ages 12-18) and 3 male coaches participated in the current study, which set out to cultivate a more nuanced understanding of coach-athlete relationships in a high-level youth athletic academy. Questionnaires measuring preferences for, and perceptions of, coaching behavior, psychological coping skills, psychological needs satisfaction, motivation, and burnout were administered at the beginning and end of the fall season. Results gleaned from correlations, multiple regressions and mediational analyses variably supported the study's main hypotheses. Processes consistent with SDT were evident, as a dimension of perceived coaching behavior predicted needs satisfaction, which in turn, predicted levels of motivation and burnout. Finally, and most importantly, results showed that athletes' psychological coping skills predicted their perceptions of coaching behavior, and outcomes related to needs satisfaction, motivation, and burnout. The current paper also discusses implications of these findings for research and applied practice in sport psychology, and provides recommendations for future avenues of study. / Kinesiology

Within organizational psychology, previous research has shown that there is a relationship between burnout on team-level and individual team members’ burnout, but little is known if this contagiousness of burnout is also relevant within sport contexts. Therefore, the first aim of the present study was to examine the effect of perceived teammate burnout on athletes perceptions of their own burnout. Furthermore, previous research has suggested that highquality coach-athlete relationship has several positive outcomes for the athlete. Recently, researchers have found evidence that a high-quality coach-athlete relationship is linked with less symptoms of burnout in athletes. Therefore, the second aim was to investigate whether a high-quality coach-athlete relationship can mediate the relationship between perceived teammate burnout and individual burnout. Male and female athletes (N=102) performing five different competitive team sports at different levels participated in a cross-sectional study and completed questionnaires measuring individual athlete burnout, perceptions of teammates’ burnout and the quality of perceived coach-athlete relationship. The mediation regression analysis showed that the regression between perceived teammate burnout and individual burnout was significant. No mediation effect of quality of coach-athlete relationship was found when applying a Sobel test. The findings support the preliminary research on burnout contagiousness within the field of sport and to further examine the relationship between quality of coach-athlete relationship and athlete burnout more research is encouraged. / Inom organisationspsykologi har tidigare forskning visat att det finns en relation mellan utbrändhet på gruppnivå och individuell gruppmedlems utbrändhet, men det finns lite forskning om denna smittsamhet av utbrändhet också gäller inom idrottssammanhang. Därav var första syftet med föreliggande studie att undersöka effekten av upplevelsen av lagkamraters utbrändhet på idrottarens upplevelse av egen utbrändhet. Forskning har vidare visat att en högkvalitativ tränare-idrottare relation har flera positiva utfall för idrottaren. Nyligen har forskare funnit bevis att en högkvalitativ tränare-idrottare relation är kopplat till mindre symtom av utbrändhet hos idrottare. Därmed var andra syftet att undersöka huruvida en högkvalitativ tränare-idrottare relation kan mediera relationen mellan upplevelsen av utbrändhet hos lagkamrater och individuell utbrändhet. Manliga och kvinnliga idrottare (N = 102) från fem olika tävlande lagsporter på olika nivåer deltog i tvärsnittsstudien. De fick fylla i frågeformulärer som avser mäta individuell utbrändhet, upplevelsen av lagkamraters utbrändhet och kvalitén på den upplevda tränare-idrottare relationen. Mediator- och regressionsanalyser visade att regressionen mellan upplevelsen av lagkamraters utbrändhet och individuell utbrändhet var signifikant. Ingen medierande effekt av kvalitén på den upplevda tränare-idrottare relationen hittades med Sobel-test. Resultaten stödjer den preliminära forskning om smittsamhet av utbrändhet inom idrott och att ytterligare undersöka relationen mellan kvalitén på den upplevda tränare-idrottare relationen och individuell utbrändhet uppmuntras.

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This cross-sectional study presented two aims: 1) to examine whether associations could be found between athletes’ use of communication strategies conflict management, openness and support, and athletes’ perceptions of coach-athlete relationship quality, and 2) to examine whether athletes’ attachment style (secure, anxious-ambivalent or avoidant) would act as a moderator for this association. A sample of 396 athletes (males = 183, females = 210) whose age ranged from 15 to 60 years (mean age = 19.17, SD = 4.59 years). The sample was recruited from a variety of both individual and team sports. In order to participate, athletes responded a questionnaire, online or in paper version. Statistical analyses were performed in IBM SPSS 24 and Amos 24, and by using Structural Equation Modelling (SEM). The results confirmed associations between athletes’ use of the selected communication strategies and their perceptions of the coach-athlete relationship quality. Regarding moderating effects, athletes’ attachment style was shown to have a significant moderation effect on a majority of the found associations. Suggestions for future research is to examine more of the communication strategies presented in the COMPASS model, in order to strengthen the model’s practical use. Also, longitudinal studies would complement these findings, as well as qualitative research for a deepened understanding of the communication strategies. / Denna tvärsnittsstudie hade två syften: 1) att undersöka om det fanns ett samband mellan idrottares användande av kommunikationsstrategierna konflikthantering, öppenhet och stöd och deras skattning av kvaliteten på relationen till tränaren, samt 2) att undersöka om idrottares anknytningsstil (trygg, ambivalent och undvikande) hade påverkan det sambandet. 396 idrottare (män = 183, kvinnor = 210 ) i åldrarna 15-60 år (medelålder = 19.17, SD = 4.59 år). Urvalet rekryterades från både individ- och lagidrott. För att delta fyllde idrottarna i ett formulär, i webb- eller pappersform. Statistiska analyser utfördes i IBM SPSS och Amos 24, samt genom Structural Equation Modelling (SEM). Resultaten bekräftade samband mellan idrottares användande av de valda kommunikationsstrategierna och deras skattning av kvaliteten på tränar-idrottare-relationen. Idrottarnas anknytningsstil visade sig ha en statistiskt signifikant modererande effekt på de funna sambanden. Förslag för vidare forskning är att undersöka fler av de kommunikationsstrategier som presenteras i COMPASS-modellen, för att kunna stärka modellens praktiska användning. Dessutom skulle longitudinella studier kunna komplettera dessa resultat, liksom kvalitativ forskning för att få en djupare förståelse för kommunikationsstrategierna.

Degree awarded (2003): EdDC, Counseling, Human and Organizational Studies, George Washington University / This study was designed to examine the perception and incidence of sexual harassment and determine the incidence of sexual harassment in relation to girls participating in high school athletics. The similarities and differences of interpretation of various interactions between high school athletes with their male and female athletic coaches were examined. This study also investigated the actual incidence of sexual harassment by male and female high school athletic coaches as reported by female athletes.<p>The study population included male and female athletic coaches currently coaching a female high school athletic team and female college students who participated in high school athletics.</p><p>This researcher, in order to accommodate the study population and research questions, adapted the Sexual Harassment Survey (1995) by Margery J. Holman, Ph.D. Female student athletes and male and female coaches responded to survey questions on demographics and their perceptions and understanding of described behaviors. The student athletes completed an additional section of the survey pertaining to their experience of sexual harassment.</p><p>Descriptive statistics (including frequencies and percentages as well as means and standard deviations) and inferential statistics (One-Way Analysis of Variance with a Scheffe test of significance) were used to analyze the data.</p><p>A comparison of the responses of all three groups (female athletes, male coaches and female coaches) to questions pertaining to perceptions of sexual harassment indicated agreement among the groups in the identification of inappropriate behaviors. However, there was a significant difference in the level of agreement for seven described behaviors. In general, male and female coaches agreed with each other more often than with female athletes when identifying the behaviors associated with sexual harassment. The investigation of incidence indicated that female athletes experienced more behaviors associated with sexual harassment from male coaches than from female coaches. Understanding that the same behaviors were identified by female athletes, male coaches and female coaches, it can be concluded that inappropriate behavior was consistently identified, but the identification of sexual harassment does not necessarily diminish the incidence of sexual harassment.</p> / Advisory Committee: Dr. Lori Lefcourt, Dr. Chris Erickson, Dr. Patricia Sullivan, Dr. Janet C. Heddesheimer, Dr. Donald C. Linkowski (Chair)

The research objectives were (1) to explore how coaches and youth golfers perceive a healthy coach-athlete relationship and (2) what they do to facilitate such a relationship. A qualitative small-q study was done by interviewing five experienced coaches and five competitive youth-golfers using two semi-structured interview guides in order to get both coaches’ and athletes’ perspectives. This resulted in a definition of a healthy coach-athlete relationship, reflecting the (1) objective, which was that a healthy coach-athlete relationship is the relationship that is coach-athlete centered, characterized by open and honest communication, mutual trust and respect, work-fun balance and caring- altogether ensuring positive influences on athletes’ and coaches’ mental health and well-being, professional/athletic and personal development. The interviews further resulted in a set strategies to create and maintain such a relationship, thus reflecting the (2) objective. These strategies could be connected to the 4C framework by (Jowett, 2017; Jowett &amp; Shanmugam, 2016). Both coaches and athletes shared strategies that facilitated the 4Cs, such as closeness (e.g., - mutual care and trust), commitment (e.g., - do what is agreed), complementarity (e.g., - having coach-athlete dialogues), and co-orientation (e.g., - being attentive to each other’s needs on and off the season). In the discussion the results were related to the previous research, and methodological reflections, practical implications, and future research directions were provided. Keywords: Coach-athlete relationship, mental health, well-being, youth athlete, golf. / Studies syfte var (1) att undersöka hur tränare och ungdomsgolfspelare uppfattar en hälsosam tränare-ungdomsgolfspelare relation samt (2) vad de gör för att främja en sådan relation. En kvalitativ small-q studie genomfördes. Fem erfarna golftränare och fem tävlande ungdomsgolfspelare intervjuades med hjälp av två semistrukturerade intervjuguider för att samla perspektiv från både tränare och spelare. Detta resulterade i en definition av en hälsosam tränare-spelare relation, som besvarade frågeställning (1), vilket var att en hälsosam tränare-spelare relation är en centrerad tränare-spelare relation som karaktäriseras av öppen och ärlig kommunikation, ömsesidig tillit och respekt, professionell och vänskaplig balanssom positivt influerar tränarens och spelarens mentala hälsa och välmående, professionella/idrottsliga och personliga utveckling. Vidare resulterade intervjuerna i strategier som kan användas för att främja och bibehålla en sådan relation, som besvarar frågeställning (2). Dessa strategier kunde kopplas till 4C modellen av (Jowett, 2017; Jowett &amp; Shanmugam, 2016). Tränare och spelare delade med sig av strategier som främjande 4C,closeness (t.ex. ömsesidig ombry och tillit, commitment (t.ex. genomföra det som är planerat), complementarity (t.ex. ha tränar-spelar dialoger), och co-orientation (t.ex. vara uppmärksam om varandras behov under och efter säsongen). I diskussionen kopplades resultaten till tidigare forskning, reflektioner kring metoden, samt presentation av praktiska implikationer och framtida forskning.