Exploring Parental Experiences and Meaning of Involvement within Youth Sport: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis

Abstract

By applying an interpretative phenomenological analysis approach, the purpose of the study was to explore the lived experience of parental involvement in youth sport and the meaning the involvement holds. Specifically, we examined how role identity theory provides a deeper understanding of how parents experience and provide meaning to their involvement in their children’s sport. The overarching themes interpreted from the data include Expectations of Involvement, Commitment, and Constructing Meaning-making of the Experience. These findings highlight the ways in which role identity salience defines the meaning involvement as a leisure pursuit holds to a parent. This study provides a deeper theoretical understanding of the experience of being a parent involved in youth sport, as well as highlights the usefulness of conducting research in this field with an interpretative phenomenological analysis approach to explore a complex and diverse topic.