NCAA Coaches Survey: The Role of the Coach in Identifying and Managing Athletes with Disordered Eating

Abstract

The primary objective of the present study was to survey collegiate coaches with respect to how female athletes with disordered eating or eating disorders are identified, how coaches are involved, and the identification criteria used. An additional objective was to determine how symptomatic athletes are managed regarding treatment and sport participation. Participants were 2,894 coaches representing 23 sports. Findings indicated that athletic trainers, teammates, and coaches are frequently involved in identification. Eating disorder symptoms were most often used to identify symptomatic athletes, and athletes from high-risk sports were more often identified. Coaches rated symptoms as being serious, both in terms of how they affect the athlete’s health and her athletic performance, with amenorrhea being a notable exception. Implications of the study were discussed in terms of education and training of coaches and athletic trainers.