Gatekeepers’ Experiences of Hiring a Sport Psychologist: A Phenomenological Study

Abstract

Within applied sport psychology, the process of gaining entry, specifically the employment interview, has received little attention relative to other stages of practice. This study, guided by an interpretative phenomenological approach, aimed to understand the experiences of gatekeepers to practice within United Kingdom elite sport who have been directly involved in the hiring of sport psychologists. Semi-structured interviews with seven participants were transcribed verbatim and analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis. Four essences emerged: consultant affability, consultant confidence versus arrogance, consultant collaboration, and presentation of consultant competency. These findings highlight the importance of developing interpersonal skills, interview technique, and self-promotion skills in sport psychology practitioners. In addition, a number of features specific to the sport psychology employment interview are discussed.

Mental movements: How long‐distance walking influences reflection processes among middle‐age and older adults

“…Originally developed within health research, the areas of sport and exercise are considered fertile ground for research using interpretive phenomenological analysis (IPA), where the approach is increasingly being applied (Smith, 2016). Moreover, IPA is suitable when studying an area that is new or under‐researched (Woolway & Harwood, 2019). Only little research has been conducted to understand the experiences of long‐distance walkers (Crust et al ., 2011), and specifically, regarding the experiences among middle‐aged and older adults, the research is sparse.…”

Opportunities and Considerations of New Media and Technology in Sport Psychology Service Delivery

“…It is well-recognized by consumers of sport psychology (e.g., athletes, coaches, parents, gatekeepers) that interpersonal skills are desirable characteristics of SPPs (Thelwell et al, 2018;Woolway & Harwood, 2019. In particular, verbal (e.g., tone, speech) and nonverbal cues (e.g., body language) are of critical importance to practitioners in gaining an understanding and insight into the client's thoughts, feelings and behaviors (Harris & Birnbaum, 2015).…”