This paper used a qualitative technique from a social scientific perspective, a model based on Hewitt and his theory of the self-concept. The purpose of this study was to investigate why some elite athletes experience troublesome periods after their career ending. Interviews were performed with five elite athletes with varying experiences after career ending. The length of the elite athlete careers vary between 7 to 17 years. Two groups were made based upon experiences after career ending. Group 1 had experienced problems, for example suicide tendency, and group 2 had not. The result shows that a troublesome period can come up independently of career ending. The self-concept was investigated during the career and further different kind of variables which could affect the self as training and competition, social relations both before and after termination from sport. Result indicates that an individual in group 2 who has a high complexity in the self-concept based upon significant others outside the elite sport during the career copes with the new situation after career ending much better than group 1 who have not. To build up the self based only upon significant others in the elite sport seems to give expression in a strengthen self. Intensity in training and competition did not have a connection with a troublesome period after retirement from sport but it could prevent establishing contact with others outside the elite sport and reduce a high complexity in the self-concept. The result further shows that elite athletes who practise an individual sport trains in to a greater extent than elite athletes in a seasonal sport. Result also shows that practising a sport with one day off a week, contributes to better opportunities for developing a higher complexity in the self-concept. Suspicions has also rouse that practising an elite sport on the highest level can lead to extensive focusing that further leads to social isolation from individuals outside elite sport. To build up the self upon significant others outside elite sport during the career and keep in touch with significant others from elite sport after the career seems to be the key to avoid problems after the career ending. Suggestions about further investigations are made to see if medial exposure and status can affect the self.

Utifrån den senaste tidens nyheter om konståkningens krav, mina egna erfarenheter samt senaste forskningsresultat uppstod frågan om huruvida forskningen gällande identitet inom konståkning och idrott överlag är bristfällig. Syftet med denna studie var att kartlägga före detta konståkares identitetsupplevelser under och efter karriären. Genom intervjuer med sex finska före detta konståkare om deras upplevelser och erfarenheter under karriären och övergången och även efter karriären, erhölls information om identitetsupplevelser som definierar temat snarare än hittar en sanning. Datainsamlingen genomfördes utifrån semistrukturerade intervjuer som pågick under 30-70 minuter. Dessa intervjuer gav data om konståkarnas tankar, erfarenheter och upplevelser av sina karriärer och livet efter karriärer, vilka presenteras och analyseras I avsnittet om resultatanalys. Resultatet visade att identitetsupplevelser under karriären är bland alla respondenter är starkt förknippade med konståkningen men att bland annat socialisering, social stöd, jagupplevelse, stigma och personlighet påverkar konståkares identitetsupplevelser. Efter karriären börjar konståkares personligheter och jagupplevelse utanför konståkningen växa i nya identiteter. Konståkningsidentitetet försvinner inte helt. Därför finns det oftast en längre sökningsfas efter karriären då konståkarna vill uppleva likadana jagupplevelser och stigma som de upplevde under karriären. Detta kommer till uttryck genom nya hobbys och inom den nya livsstilen.