The under representation of women coaches in high-performance sport

Serpell, Benjamin G.; Harrison, Darlene; Dower, Rae; Cook, Christian J.

doi:10.1177/17479541231160229

Cited by 7 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 98 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…The over-representation of male coaches in the current evidence base conforms to the broader sex/gender representation and imbalance that prevails throughout the eld of sports psychology [114]. Although this underrepresentation may re ect the true proportion of coaches that identify as female in elite sport [115], more research is required to understand how female and non-binary coaches experience mental health to assist with targeted interventions. It is worth acknowledging however, that the proportion of male and female elite-level coaches may vary between sporting codes and elite settings.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 85%

The mental health of elite-level coaches: A systematic scoping review

Frost,

Walton,

Purcell

et al. 2023

Preprint

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Background: Elite-level coaches are exposed to multiple performance, organisational and personal stressors which may contribute towards reduced mental health and wellbeing. This systematic scoping review examined the current body of evidence to explore what is known about the mental health of elite-level coaches (i.e. wellbeing and mental ill-health), the risk and protective factors that influence coach mental health, and the relationship between mental health and coaching effectiveness. Methods: The review adhered to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) guidelines. A systematic search was undertaken and updated in September 2022 using six electronic databases. Results: 12,376 studies were identified and screened, with 42 studies satisfying the inclusion criteria. Despite the paucity of high-quality research, findings indicated that 41% of the included studies examined themes connected to wellbeing, with 76% assessing the nature or prevalence of mental ill-health in elite-level coaches. Among studies exploring mental ill-health, coach burnout was the primary focus, while scant research examined symptoms associated with clinical disorders (e.g. anxiety and depression). Overall, psychological outcomes for elite-level coaches were shaped by risk and protective factors operating at the individual, interpersonal, organisational and societal level. Preliminary evidence was also found to suggest that poor mental health may contribute towards reduced coaching effectiveness. It is proposed that coaching effectiveness could therefore be employed as a ‘hook’ to engage elite-level coaches in greater consideration of their mental health needs. Conclusion: Alongside the development of methodologically robust research, there is a need to examine dynamic individual (e.g. psychological skills), interpersonal (e.g. strong social supports) and organisational (e.g. workload) factors that aim to preserve the mental health and optimise the efficacy of elite-level coaches.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 85%

The mental health of elite-level coaches: A systematic scoping review

Frost,

Walton,

Purcell

et al. 2023

Preprint

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…The over-representation of male coaches in the current evidence base conforms to the broader sex/gender representation and imbalance that prevails throughout the field of sports psychology [114]. Although this underrepresentation may reflect the true proportion of coaches that identify as female in elite sport [115], more research is required to understand how female and non-binary coaches experience mental health to assist with targeted interventions. It is worth acknowledging however, that the proportion of male and female elite-level coaches may vary between sporting codes and elite settings.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 85%

The Mental Health of Elite-Level Coaches: A Systematic Scoping Review

Frost,

Walton,

Purcell

et al. 2024

Sports Med - Open

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Background Elite-level coaches are exposed to multiple performance, organisational and personal stressors which may contribute to reduced mental health and wellbeing. This systematic scoping review examined the current body of evidence to explore what is known about the mental health of elite-level coaches (i.e. wellbeing and mental ill-health), the risk and protective factors that influence coach mental health, and the relationship between mental health and coaching effectiveness. Methods The review adhered to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) guidelines. A systematic search was undertaken and updated in September 2022 using six electronic databases. Results 12,376 studies were identified and screened, with 42 studies satisfying the inclusion criteria. Despite the paucity of high-quality research, findings indicated that 40% of the included studies examined themes connected to wellbeing, with 76% assessing the nature or prevalence of mental ill-health in elite-level coaches. Among studies exploring mental ill-health, coach burnout was the primary focus, while scant research examined symptoms associated with clinical disorders (e.g. anxiety and depression). Overall, psychological outcomes for elite-level coaches were shaped by risk and protective factors operating at the individual, interpersonal, organisational and societal level. Preliminary evidence was also found to suggest that poor mental health may contribute to reduced coaching effectiveness. It is proposed that coaching effectiveness could therefore be employed as a ‘hook’ to engage elite-level coaches in greater consideration of their mental health needs. Conclusion Alongside the development of methodologically robust research, there is a need to examine dynamic individual (e.g. psychological skills), interpersonal (e.g. strong social supports) and organisational (e.g. workload) factors that aim to preserve the mental health and optimise the efficacy of elite-level coaches.

show abstract

“…Much like the broader representation of gender in the field of sports psychology, 86 future research is required to explicitly consider gender differences and potentially other forms of diversity, including race and disability (e.g., para-coaches). For instance, given the under-representation of women coaches within elite sport, 87 further research should evaluate the gender-specific stressors and risk factors that may influence the mental health of coaches who identify as women (e.g., managing hypermasculine cultures). 88 …”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%