British junior elite track and field athletes’ experience of maltreatment, psychological safety, and subjective vitality

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ABSTRACT In this study, we examined 1) the prevalence of maltreatment in British junior elite track and field athletes, 2) relationships between maltreatment, psychological safety, and subjective vitality, and 3) whether maltreatment is indirectly related to subjective vitality via psychological safety. Using a cross-sectional design, British junior elite track and field athletes (N = 254) completed measures of maltreatment (physical, psychological, non-contact sexual and neglect), psychological safety and subjective vitality. Results showed that nearly three-quarters experienced maltreatment in sport (74.4%). Psychological maltreatment was most frequently reported (70.5%), followed by neglect (50.8%), physical (31.5%) and non-contact sexual (24.0%). Psychological and physical maltreatment, and neglect were indirectly related to subjective vitality via psychological safety (effect size range = −0.27 to −0.11), whereas no relationship was shown between non-contact sexual maltreatment and psychological safety. In conclusion, maltreatment is prevalent in British junior elite track and field athletes and that those who experience physical and psychological maltreatment, as well as neglect, are more likely to report lower psychological safety, and in turn, lower subjective vitality. International and national organisations aiming to protect athlete well-being should target psychological safety in their safeguarding interventions by supporting and encouraging athletes to speak out about their concerns.

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Background. The aims of the present study were: 1) to estimate the prevalence of emotional, physical and sexual abuse and abuse in the health care system, and 2) to study the associations between prevalence of abuse and sociodemographic and sample variables. Methods. This cross-sectional study used a validated postal questionnaire in four Swedish samples; patients at three gynecologic clinics with different character and in different regions (n = 2439) and women in one randomized population sample (n = 1168). Results. Any lifetime emotional abuse was reported by 16.8–21.4% of the women; physical abuse by 32.1–37.5%; sexual abuse by 15.9–17.0%; and abuse in the health care system by 14.0–19.7%. For 7–8% abuse had included life threats and 9–20% of all women in the study currently suffered from their experiences of abuse. Most women had not disclosed their background of abuse to the gynecologist. There were differences in sociodemographic variables between the four samples. Generally, in the multivariate analyses we found associations between prevalence of abuse and age, educational level, civil status and occupation, but no consistent association between prevalence of abuse and sample variables. Conclusion. Lifetime prevalence rates of the four kinds of abuse were high in all samples as measured by the NorVold Abuse Questionnaire (NorAQ), and 1/10–1/5 women in the study suffered currently from abusive experiences. In multivariate analyses prevalence of abuse was consistently associated with sociodemographic but not to sample variables.

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The aims of the present study were: 1) to estimate the prevalence of emotional, physical and sexual abuse and abuse in the health care system, and 2) to study the associations between prevalence of abuse and sociodemographic and sample variables. This cross-sectional study used a validated postal questionnaire in four Swedish samples; patients at three gynecologic clinics with different character and in different regions (n = 2439) and women in one randomized population sample (n = 1168). Any lifetime emotional abuse was reported by 16.8-21.4% of the women; physical abuse by 32.1-37.5%; sexual abuse by 15.9-17.0%; and abuse in the health care system by 14.0-19.7%. For 7-8% abuse had included life threats and 9-20% of all women in the study currently suffered from their experiences of abuse. Most women had not disclosed their background of abuse to the gynecologist. There were differences in sociodemographic variables between the four samples. Generally, in the multivariate analyses we found associations between prevalence of abuse and age, educational level, civil status and occupation, but no consistent association between prevalence of abuse and sample variables. Lifetime prevalence rates of the four kinds of abuse were high in all samples as measured by the NorVold Abuse Questionnaire (NorAQ), and 1/10-1/5 women in the study suffered currently from abusive experiences. In multivariate analyses prevalence of abuse was consistently associated with sociodemographic but not to sample variables.

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