Same Game, Many Cultures: A Multicultural Reflection on a Trainee’s Intervention Work With a Professional Esports Team

Abstract

This applied case study aims to explore the experience and multicultural reflections of a trainee sport and exercise psychologist working with a professional, multicultural esports team. We showcase the context of the case with a League of Legends team, consisting of five players, along with the intervention conducted. The case is supplemented by critical reflections on practice in a multicultural context from learning logs and applied practice notes with the T-R-E-E-S model for multicultural practice in sport psychology. This study delves into several critical aspects, namely: (a) recognizing multicultural elements, (b) customizing interventions to the dynamic esports environment, (c) scrutinizing how language and culture impact team cohesion, and (d) considering individual boundaries in personal-disclosure interventions. Finally, as one of the first case studies to reflect on multicultural practice in esports, we provide key recommendations and implications to promote multicultural work in research and applied practice in esports.