The perceived effects of elite athletes' experiences of emotional abuse in the coach–athlete relationship

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The purpose of this study was to explore the perceived effects of elite athletes' experiences of emotional abuse in the coach–athlete relationship. Methods were established in congruence with the methodology of grounded theory. Data were gleaned from open-ended interviews with 14 retired elite athletes, 6 males and 8 females, from a variety of sports. Recorded interview sessions were transcribed verbatim and themes were coded from the transcripts using open, axial, and selective coding techniques. Athletes discussed perceived psychological effects (low mood, anger, low self-efficacy, low self-esteem, anxiety, sense of accomplishment), training effects (increased motivation, decreased motivation, reduced enjoyment, impaired focus, difficulty with skill acquisition), and performance effects (performance decrements, enhanced performance) of their experiences of emotional abuse. Given that the current findings represent perceptions only, future prospective work is needed to further our understanding of the effects of experiencing emotional abuse. However, the findings raise questions about the ethics of condoning or justifying emotionally abusive coaching practices and support the need for athlete protection measures in sport. Limitations of the study are discussed and recommendations are made for future research.