Preferred Name
Liz
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.
Date of Graduation
8-6-2021
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)
Department
Department of Graduate Psychology
Advisor(s)
Robert J. Harmison
Kelly Atwood
Anne L. Stewart
Abstract
Recent research examining the antecedents to success in elite sport have led to claims that trauma is necessary to reach the highest levels of sport. Researchers have utilized theories of post-traumatic growth, stress-related growth, and related terms to elucidate the relationship between trauma and sport success, but have been inconsistent in how they define trauma and growth. The purpose of this study was to explore coaches’ perceptions regarding the relationship between trauma and sport success and how their perceptions may influence their coaching behaviors. An interpretivist phenomenological analysis framework was utilized for the study design and analysis. Ten NCAA Division I coaches were interviewed using semi-structured interviews. Six themes and 10 subthemes emerged from the data analysis: (a) the relationship between trauma and sport is nuanced; (b) coaching philosophy influences how coaches view the relationship between trauma and sport success; (c) hard things, including trauma, adversity, and challenge, are inevitable; (d) trauma is intense, more so than obstacles/challenges/adversity; (e) hard things lead to growth and development; and (f) hard things are not sufficient for growth; other pieces to the puzzle are needed. Coaches largely indicated that trauma is not necessary for athletic success, but that it is important to experience challenges to develop skills needed for athletic success. The coaches provided examples and context for when and how challenging things lead to success, indicating that there is a great deal of nuance in how trauma and hard things influence success. This study has implications for how coaches and sport organizations thoughtfully impact athlete well-being and success.
Recommended Citation
Sanborn, Elizabeth, "Exploring coaches’ perceptions of the role of trauma in sport success" (2021). Dissertations, 2020-current. 42.
https://commons.lib.jmu.edu/diss202029/42
