1Although previous research has shown that experiencing an injury can act as a catalyst for self-2 development, research that has examined the concept of sport injury-related growth (SIRG) 3 remains largely descriptive. This study aimed to address this by developing a substantive theory 4 to explain the processes through which injured athletes experienced SIRG. Using Strauss and 5Corbin's (1998) variant of grounded theory, 37 injured athletes competing in a range of sports 6 and competitive levels participated in qualitative interviews. Interviews (N=70) and data analysis 7were conducted over a period of 24 months. Transcripts were analyzed using open, axial, and 8 selective coding. Quality criteria used were fit, relevance, workability, and modifiability. The 9 grounded theory produced (i.e., Theory of Sport Injury-Related Growth) suggests a number of 10 internal (i.e., personality, coping styles, knowledge and prior experience, and perceived social 11 support) and external factors (i.e., cultural scripts, physical resources, time, and received social 12 support) enable injured athletes to transform their injury into an opportunity for growth and 13 development. The mechanisms through which this occurs are meta-cognitions, positive 14 reappraisal, positive emotions, and facilitative responses. This theory offers a number of exciting 15 avenues for future research, and provides medical personnel and practicing sport psychologists 16 with a detailed explanation of how sport injury can lead to growth experiences. 17 18

Background: Athletes experience adversity across many aspects of their lives. Challenging the dominant idea that adversity is just a negative experience, a significant body of research in sport has demonstrated that these adverse events can also act as catalysts for positive change (Howells, Fletcher, & Sarkar, 2017). Yet, a limited number of researchers have focused on how to promote growth following adversity in sport. To support this line of inquiry our aim in this study was to facilitate knowledge transfer from other psychology disciplines by systematically reviewing intervention studies that aim to foster growth following adversity. Methods: We conducted the systematic review using PRISMA guidelines. Following inclusion and exclusion criteria, we appraised the studies using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (Pluye & Hong, 2014). Results:Thirty-six studies were included in the review. We synthesized the studies in relation to participant characteristics (i.e., sample size, age, gender, ethnicity, adversity), study characteristics (i.e., design, content, duration, delivery, outcome measures), intervention outcomes (i.e., statistical significance, effect size, qualitative indicators of growth), antecedents (viz. mediators, moderators), and quality appraisal. Conclusion: In the discussion we critically consider the lessons sport and exercise psychology researchers can learn from published intervention studies from other fields of research (e.g., the use of meaningful metrics, that there are different trajectories of growth, growth is a multidimensional phenomenon). Future researchers should seek to build on findings to advance knowledge and understanding in the most significant and meaningful ways.

Despite recent conceptual, methodological, and theoretical advancements in sport-injury-related growth (SIRG), there is no research on sport psychology consultants’ (SPCs) experiential knowledge of working with injured athletes to facilitate SIRG. Toward this end, this study examined SPCs’ perspectives on facilitating SIRG to provide an evidence base for professional practice. Participants (4 female, 6 male; mean 19 years’ applied experience) were purposefully sampled and interviewed. Transcripts were thematically analyzed. Methodological rigor and generalizability were maximized through self-reflexivity and eliciting external reflections. Five themes were identified: Hear the Story, Contextualize the Story, Reconstruct the Story, Live the Story, and Share the Story. Findings offer practitioners a novel approach to working with injured athletes. Rather than focusing on returning to preinjury level of functioning, the findings illustrate how SPCs can work with injured athletes to help transform injury into an opportunity to bring about positive change.