Youth Sport Parents Research Articles

Sports officials and parents as spectators: Diffusing tensions on the sidelines

Youth sport competitions are often emotionally charged events, with children, parents, coaches, and officials reporting emotions ranging from anxiety and stress through to enjoyment because of their involvement. One of the sources for the negative emotions and experiences associated with youth sport is the behaviors displayed by spectators on the sidelines. Typically, in youth sport events, these spectators are the parents of the children involved in the competition. Recognizing the detrimental consequences that arise for children when parents are inappropriately or negatively involved on the sidelines, sport psychology researchers and practitioners have increasingly targeted interventions at improving parents’ involvement in competitions. Although such interventions are valuable and important for improving children’s youth sport experiences, their focus is typically exclusively upon the interactions and relationships between parents and their children. However, negative behaviors from parents on the sidelines can also impact others in the environment, particularly sports officials who report abuse and aggression from the sidelines as one of the primary reasons for leaving their roles. As officiating numbers decline, sporting organizations are considering how to best tackle these attrition rates and one area that may be worthy of consideration is the interaction between parents and officials. To-date, limited consideration has been given to the bi-directional interactions between parents and officials or to steps that could be taken to improve interactions. To this end, the purpose of this commentary is to increase awareness, initiate conversations, stimulate research, and enhance applied practice targeting the interactions between officials and parents in youth sport.

A qualitative examination of parental mental health and well-being in youth sport

ABSTRACT Parents have multifaceted experiences as a result of their involvement in organised youth sport. Such experiences can have an influence on parents’ mental health and well-being. As such, the purpose of this study was to examine the perceptions of mental health and well-being among parents in relation to their involvement in organised youth sport. Eighteen Australian youth sport parents (12 mothers, 6 fathers; Mage = 47 years, SD = 4.74) participated in individual semi-structured interviews to better understand how their youth sport-specific roles and behaviours influence mental health and well-being. Following a descriptive thematic analysis, five themes were generated from the data: (a) sport as a platform for family unity; (b) cohesion and conflict between parents and other social agents; (c) requirements of youth sport and family equity; (d) interconnectedness of parent and child emotions in sport; and (e) sport as a context for self-improvement and parental validation. These findings provide meaningful insight with respect to how the youth sport environment, and parents’ roles within it, leads to positive and negative mental health experiences. We encourage applied scholars to consider the current findings when designing quality youth sport programmes that are tailored to all stakeholders (i.e., including parents).

Higher Levels of Income and Education are Associated with More Specialized Sport Participation Behaviors: Results from a Representative Sample of Youth Sport Parents from the United States.

While previous studies have examined the impact of family socioeconomic characteristics on a child's sport specialization behaviors, this research has been limited to affluent communities with limited sociodemographic diversity. The purpose of this study was to examine associations of parent income and education with child sport specialization behaviors among a nationally representative sample of youth sport parents in the United States. Cross-sectional. Parents of youth athletes in the United States (n=236, age: 39.2±8.1 years, 57.2% female) were recruited to complete an online questionnaire by Qualtrics Online Samples (Qualtrics, Provo, UT) using a combination of actively managed, double-opt-in market research panels. The questionnaire used for this study consisted of: 1) parent demographics (including parent age, race/ethnicity, biological sex, gender identity, household income, and educational status), and 2) child sport participation characteristics and sport specialization behaviors. Parents who reported an annual household income of $75,001 or more were more likely than parents making less than $75,000 to report that their child participated on an organized club team (OR [95%CI]: 1.94 [1.15-3.27]), participated on multiple organized teams at the same time (OR [95%CI]: 1.85 [1.10-3.11]), or specialized in a single sport (OR [95%CI]: 2.45 [1.45-4.14]). Parents who reported receiving a Bachelor's degree or higher were more likely than parents who did not to report that their child participated on an organized club team (OR [95%CI]: 3.04 [1.78-5.18]), participated on multiple organized teams at the same time (OR [95%CI]: 2.42 [1.43-4.10]), or specialized in a single sport (OR [95%CI]: 1.94 [1.15-3.26]). Thes results suggest that in the modern youth sport culture, family resources may serve as a major determining factor in the type of experiences available for a youth athlete. III.

Development of the Stressors among Parents in Youth Sport Survey (SPYSS)

ObjectivesParents of youth sport athletes report a variety of stressors associated with their child’s participation in youth sport settings. However, research examining associations between parents’ stressors and relevant outcomes is limited due to the lack of a comprehensive and validated measure of parents’ stressors in youth sport. Therefore, the purpose of this research was to develop and provide preliminary validation of the Stressors among Parents in Youth Sport Survey (SPYSS). MethodIn Study 1 we developed an initial version of the survey and tested the factor structure of the scale using exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses with a sample of 1187 Canadian parents of minor hockey athletes. In Study 2, we administered the SPYSS to an independent sample of 783 parents with children participating in multiple sports, who also completed measures of parent stress and well-being, as well as parent-athlete outcomes, to establish convergent and divergent validity evidence and test associations with relevant outcomes for youth sport parents. ResultsThe results from Study 1 supported the development of a 42-item survey of parental stressors in youth sport. Results from Study 2 provided further evidence for the factor structure and validity evidence of a measure assessing parental stressors in youth sport. ConclusionsThe SPYSS assesses the frequency and intensity of a variety of stressors relevant for parents of youth sport athletes. The measure may be a useful tool for researchers, sport organizations, and practitioners to assess, monitor, and target the stressors experienced by parents in youth sport settings.

The Current Youth Sport Culture and its Impact on Sport Participation Experiences of Low Socioeconomic Status Families

Purpose: The rise of sport specialization can jeopardize the opportunities for families of low socioeconomic status (SES) to participate in organized sport. However, obtaining an athletic scholarship may be a motivating factor for low SES youth to sport specialize. Yet, the experiences of low SES athletes in sport participation are not well known. Method: We used an Interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) to explore experiences of low SES families with children participating in sport and how this may be impacted by the current youth sport culture that promotes sport specialization. We engaged in semi-structured interviews with 12 low SES parents. Results: The following 4 interrelated themes emerged: (a) Benefits of youth sport participation, (b) Negatives and/or barriers to youth sport participation, (c) Strategies to get involved in youth sport, and (d) Facilitators for youth sport participation. Conclusions: Findings indicate that while low SES youth sport parents are motivated to involve their children in sports, there are many barriers that hinder their opportunities for their child to participate in organized sports. These issues are exacerbated by the current youth sport culture which emphasizes sport specialization with very few existing facilitators to involve their child in organize sport.

Missing Out, as Well: The Absence of Youth Sports and Its Effect on Parents During the COVID-19 Global Pandemic

In December of 2019, COVID-19 began spreading globally. As a result, many youth sport organizations were forced to halt programming. While unfortunate, this imposed disengagement from youth sport provided an opportunity to explore what youth sport means to parents, being that this was the first time many were without it. As such, researchers aimed to explore the attitudes and perceptions of youth sport parents regarding their child’s sport participation in its absence. Semistructured interviews were conducted to explore these perceptions, and three themes were constructed through thematic analysis. Findings suggest that sport parents miss their experiences as “live-in” sports fans of their child’s sport participation due to the absence of their spectator experiences, social opportunities, and feelings of success, which drive their motivation for continued involvement. Understanding parental motivations to support youth sport participation may lead future researchers to uncovering the influences of parental behavior in the youth sport context.

The association of families’ socioeconomic and demographic characteristics with parents’ perceived barriers to returning to youth sport following the COVID-19 pandemic

Developmentally appropriate sport contexts have the potential to positively influence young people’s physiological, psychological, and social outcomes. However, little is known about how families returned to sport in the wake of COVID-19-related restrictions or how socioeconomic and demographic factors influenced parents’ perceptions of barriers to returning. A nationally representative sample (N = 6183) of American youth sport parents completed a questionnaire in which they provided demographic information and answered questions related to the barriers they perceived in returning to sport, such as the risk of their child getting sick. Structural equation modeling was used to examine the relationships among a range of socioeconomic and demographic factors and these barriers to returning. Results suggest that parents from racially minoritized and urban neighborhoods held higher levels of concern over health-related and practical barriers to returning to sport. Findings highlight the importance of designing available, equitable, and appropriate youth sport contexts.

Considering the cost(s) of the game: Consumer behavior and parents in youth ice hockey

Negative sport parent behavior continues to impede athletes, coaches, and program administrators from enjoying positive experiences within a variety of youth sport environments. In conjunction with this issue, the growing financial cost required to support youth sport participation has been identified as a source of stress for parents as well as a barrier preventing athletes from fully enjoying all that youth sports programming has to offer. As such, the purpose of the current study was to explore how sport parent perceptions and behaviors may be understood when examined through the conceptual lens of a framework originating within the consumer behavior literature. Using an established model of consumer decision-making to structure the project’s interview guide, 15 semi-structured interviews with Canadian ice hockey parents (seven “moms” and eight “dads”) were completed. Interview questions were constructed in hopes of exploring participants’ experiences as consumers of their children’s ice hockey programming. Following interview transcriptions, the completion of a thematic analysis suggested that ice hockey parents were influenced by a variety of external pressures to continue funding their children’s participation rather than their personal perceptions and assessments of program quality. As such, parents were observed to undertake a unique process of consumption—one wherein their purchasing behavior was best understood through the influences of their cultural world and social groups as well as their children’s potential attainment of non-sport-related outcomes (i.e., life skills, friendships) rather than their satisfaction with the youth ice hockey programming that they were a part of itself. Lay summary: Fifteen parents with children enrolled in youth ice hockey programming were interviewed regarding aspects of their behaviors as program consumers. Parents disclosed that, although ice hockey provided their families with a variety of benefits, they were (a) dissatisfied with the programming quality itself and (b) felt program improvements were unlikely. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE Accounting for parental stress and frustration around their youth sports program purchases (i.e., satisfaction with their purchases) should be considered when creating strategies to combat negative parental behaviors. It may be useful for youth sports programs to implement more rigorous mechanisms for receiving and addressing feedback from parents. Adopting strategies from the consumer behavior literature (e.g., brand loyalty; consumer satisfaction) may be helpful to aid youth sport programmers to improve relationships with youth sport parents in the future.

Part of the Team: The Social Identity Questionnaire for Sport Parents (SIQS-P)

ABSTRACT Drawing from theory of the multidimensional nature of social identity, the purpose of this study was to assess an adapted measure of social identity in sport that captures the extent to which parents identify with their child’s team. Using the Social Identity Questionnaire for Sport (SIQS) with items specifically modified for parents, we assessed competitive youth sport parents’ perceptions of ingroup ties, cognitive centrality, and ingroup affect. Using an exploratory and confirmatory analysis process, a conceptually grounded three-factor structure was supported in a sample of 788 ice hockey parents. Measurement invariance testing found strong invariance for the measurement tool based on participants’ biological sex, previous sport experience, and proximal competition outcome. Finally, differences emerged when comparing latent means across their child’s most recent game outcome. Taken together, this study offers a novel tool to better understand and measure perceptions of social identity among sport parents.

Write It Out: Examining Recreational Youth Sport Parent Emotions Through an Expressive Writing Exercise

Youth sport parents experience an array of emotions as part of their child’s youth sport experience. This may include emotions related to watching their child play, supporting their child’s emotions, or simply related to daily parenting responsibilities. This research examined youth sport parent emotions through an expressive writing exercise. Twelve parents completed a total of 32 expressive writing exercises. In each exercise, parents were asked to write about their emotions as a youth sport parent. Quantitative analysis with Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count (LIWC; Pennebaker et al., 2015) software and qualitative thematic analysis were employed to analyze writings. Results indicate that though parents experienced both positive and negative emotions, negative emotions were most common and salient. Thematic analysis resulted in six themes, including one theme related to positive emotions (happiness for child experience), and five themes related to negative emotions: 1) general stress and negativity, 2) responsibilities, 3) role as parent, 4) coach, and 5) performance. Results also lead to practical implications for park and recreation administrators. First, as substantial stress is related to the time and financial responsibilities associated with sport parenting, organizations may wish to seek ways to support parents including through scholarship funds, and facilitating communication and duty sharing among parents. Parent education programs may also be a way to help parents navigate their own emotions related to parenting roles. Coaches were also a source of negative emotions for parents, though not always for the same reasons. Youth sport organizations can facilitate coach-parent communication to ensure that parent-coach goals are aligned, and provide training for coaches in both sport-specific skills and positive youth development. In addition to facilitating coach-parent communication, organizations may also encourage child-parent communication related to goals. This could include email communications with exercises designed to encourage specific conversations about goals of youth sport participation. Each of these implications is tied directly to negative emotions expressed by parents as part of this research. Assisting parents with these emotions will improve the experience for both the parent and will likely enable the youth participant to have a more positive experience as well.

Parents’ experiences of family food routines in adolescent elite-level swimming

ObjectiveParents have an important role in their child’s food routines and eating behaviour and face additional demands when that child is an athlete. Yet little is known about how parents manage providing food for their athletic child, in addition to the wider family, within the context of elite-level youth sport. MethodsSemi-structured interviews were conducted with sixteen parents (mothers = 11; fathers = 5) of elite level adolescent swimmers (i.e., competing at UK national level or above; child mean age = 15.4 years) to explore their experiences of family food routines and eating behaviour. Reflexive Thematic Analysis was used to analyse the data. ResultsParents outlined the importance of ‘optimal’ fuelling for their athletic child. Parents had an active role in their child’s eating behaviour and shaping their food choices but expressed uncertainty regarding the volume of food their child should consume and concerns regarding their child’s future relationship with food. Meticulous organisational and logistical strategies were employed to meet the extensive food requirements of their adolescent elite swimmer in the face of intensive training schedules. Such schedules also impacted food routines for the wider family (i.e., fewer family mealtimes), and on the quality of parents’ own diets. ConclusionThe findings highlight that clearer guidance is needed for parents of elite adolescent swimmers in relation to quantities of food intake and how to support a positive future relationship with food (specifically during any periods of transition in their training or out of the sport). The findings also identify a novel organisational stressor for parents in elite youth sport, in managing and prioritising their own diet. Further research is needed to explore the extent to which parental diet may be impacted by supporting an adolescent athlete.

Youth sport parents’ familiarity and perceptions of concussion legislation

Objectives In an effort to reduce the negative health consequences often associated with concussions among young athletes, all U.S. states and the District of Columbia enacted youth concussion legislation between 2009 and 2014. This study explored youth sport parents’ (1) familiarity with their state's concussion legislation, and (2) perceptions about the need for additional legislative provisions not currently found in such laws. Methods Cross-sectional online survey data were obtained from parents ( n = 430) of youth sport athletes from 22 U.S states. Results Primary findings suggest that 67% of parents were moderately to extremely familiar with the removal from play requirement; 69.9% were moderately to extremely familiar with mandatory concussion training for coaches; and 75.1% were moderately to extremely familiar with the medical clearance requirement for athletes to return to play. In regard to perceptions, approximately half (50.2%) believed it is essential to mandate parent/guardian notification when a child suffers a potential concussion; and 42.8% believed it is essential to include a penalty/sanction for violating the statute. Based on the results of a multivariable logistic regression model, a significantly greater familiarity of concussion legislation was found among parents who were White/Caucasian, had advanced degrees, had higher household incomes, or were urban residents. Conclusions Our findings suggest that most youth sport parents have a sound understanding of concussion legislation and believe that the laws should be revised to improve best practices in preventing and managing concussions. Parents who face socio-cultural and economic barriers can benefit most from having access to credible information about their state's concussion law.

Parental perceptions of the impact of COVID-19 and returning to play based on level of sport

This study examined the impact of COVID-19 on youth sport parents based on competition level to understand how the pandemic affected youth sport and factors associated with youth returning to sport. Survey data were collected from samples of US sport parents in two waves - early in the pandemic (N = 751) and as programs began to resume (N = 707). Data showed elite sport parents were more willing to return. Although most participants returned to play, significant numbers had not resumed participation. Parent comfort was the most important factor associated with resuming. However, parents allowed children to resume play due to perceived external pressure, potentially creating stress among parents regarding sport participation decisions. Attending school in person and household income were associated with the ability to resume sport suggesting the need to provide school sport environments and consider the financial impacts of COVID-19 on sport families.

Towards an understanding of family travel decision-making processes in the context of youth sport tourism

Youth sport tourism has grown into a distinct travel segment over the past decade. While communities have invested in sport tourism initiatives, building dedicated sports facilities and competing to host tournaments, little academic attention has been paid to understanding the travel planning and decision-making associated with youth sport families. Utilising an inductive approach, the purpose of this study was to examine the processes and decisions parents make in the context of youth sport tourism to facilitate their children's travel sport participation. In-depth interviews were conducted with youth sport parents from the two US states with significant investments in sport tourism: Indiana and Florida. ( n = 15 FL; n = 18 IN). Three themes were identified in the parents' narratives using grounded theory methods, (1) Travel Logistics, (2) Flow-on Tourism, and (3) Tourn-acations. Travel logistics were dominated by decisions over accommodations and transportation with price and team bonding of consideration. A series of barriers and enablers to participation in flow-on tourism were identified including tournament schedules and proximity to tourist attractions. Decisions to create a mini-vacation out of the tournament trip (tourn-acation) were associated with novelty, distance from home, and timing such as tournaments scheduled around national holidays. A model outlining the family travel decision-making process in the context of youth sport tourism is proffered. Recommendations for DMOs leveraging the flow-on tourism associated with youth sport-events are discussed in addition to acknowledging the role of youth sport tourism in post Covid-19 tourism recovery. • Youth sport tourism family travel decision-making model is proposed. • Price and a desire to be with the team shapes decisions over travel logistics. • Flow-on tourism barriers and enablers identified. • Novelty, distance from home, and timing shape tourn-acation propensity.

Middle School Sport Parents’ Reported Norms Concerning Youth Athlete Concussion Care-seeking And Playing Behaviors: Implications For Concussion Prevention

Understanding parental norms concerning youth athlete care-seeking and playing behaviors can inform concussion prevention interventions. PURPOSE: 1) Examine youth sport parents’ reported norms for athlete care-seeking and playing behaviors; 2) Compare norms by parent sex. METHODS: Parents of youth sport athletes (n = 796; mean age = 40 ± 10 years) from a United States-based, national sample pool completed a cross-sectional questionnaire on concussion-related perceived norms around youth athlete concussion care-seeking and playing behaviors. The exploratory variable was parent sex. Main outcomes included parental indication of ever witnessing a youth athlete: 1) tell an adult he/she may have a concussion; and 2) engage in playing behaviors to reduce head impact. Also, 5-point Likert scales assessed parent approval for: 1) praising, 2) looking down upon (discounting), and 3) saying/doing nothing when these two types of events occurred. Chi-square and Wilcoxon Rank-Sum tests compared sex differences. RESULTS: Most respondents were women (60%) and White/non-Hispanic (52%). Children of participating parents commonly played basketball (46%), soccer (36%), baseball (29%), and football (20%). Overall, 31% of parents reported a concussion history and 23% reported child concussion history. Higher proportions of men reported witnessing a youth athlete tell an adult he/she may have a concussion (men: 40% vs. women: 27%, P < 0.001). No sex difference was found for witnessing a youth athlete engage in playing behaviors to reduce head impact (men: 42% vs. women: 36%, P = 0.07). Wilcoxon-Rank sum tests indicated sex differences in approval for discounting athletes for self-reporting potential concussions [men Median (interquartile range): 3 (2-5) vs. women: 4 (3-5), P < 0.001] and athletes engaging in possible head impact reducing playing behaviors [men: 3 (2-5) vs. women: 4 (3-5), P < 0.001]. Higher approval in men was found for not saying anything when these events occurred (P < 0.005). No sex differences were found for praising athletes. CONCLUSIONS: Findings indicate male parents more often approved of behaviors that negatively impact concussion care-seeking behaviors and outcomes. Sex-specific approaches for interventions for youth sport parents may be appropriate.

Knowledge, Attitudes, and Beliefs of Parents of Youth Basketball Players Regarding Sport Specialization and College Scholarship Availability.

Background:Previous surveys of youth sport parents have revealed that while parents believe early sport specialization is beneficial for improving sport ability, they also overestimate their child’s chances of receiving a college scholarship.Purpose:To (1) describe knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs of parents of youth basketball players regarding sport specialization and college scholarships and (2) examine potential differences in child basketball participation characteristics based on parent income.Study Design:Cross-sectional study.Methods:A total of 805 parents (mean age, 39.9 ± 7.1 years; 353 female [43.9%]) of youth basketball players (mean age, 12.9 ± 2.5 years; 241 female [29.9%]) were recruited via Qualtrics Online Panels to complete an anonymous online questionnaire. Participants were required to be a parent of a child between 8 and 18 years of age who participated in organized youth basketball (ie, school, club, or recreational/local league). Participants were recruited to be nationally representative with regard to race/ethnicity (White, 62.7%; Hispanic/Latino of any race, 15.3%; African American/Black, 13.3%; Asian, 4.6%; ≥2 races, 2.9%; American Indian/Alaskan Native, 1.1%; Native Hawaiian/other Pacific Islander, 0.1%). The questionnaire was adapted from previous research on parent knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs and consisted of 3 sections: (1) parent and child characteristics; (2) child basketball participation information (months per year of basketball participation, sport specialization status, receiving private coaching, traveling regularly for basketball competitions, participating on multiple teams at the same time); and (3) parent attitudes, beliefs, and knowledge regarding sport specialization and college basketball scholarships.Results:Most parents believed specialization increased their child’s chances of making a high school (71.4%) or college team (69.7%). Parents underestimated the availability of college basketball scholarships at the National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) Division I and II levels (8.9 ± 5.1 vs reality of 13-15 per team) but overestimated availability at the Division III level (8.6 ± 5.7 vs reality of 0 per team). High-income parents spent significantly more money ($4748 USD [$1214-$10,246]) than middle-income ($2250 USD [$727-$5079]; P < .001) and low-income ($1043 USD [$368-$2444]; P < .001) parents.Conclusion:Parents believed specialization was important for sport success, but they underestimated college scholarship availability at the NCAA Division I and II levels while overestimating scholarship availability at the Division III level.

EXPLORING PARENT-ATHLETE DYADS’ PERCEPTIONS OF SPORTS SPECIALIZATION AND SPORT EXPERIENCES IN AN EARLY YOUTH COMMUNITY-BASED SPORT PROGRAM

Background:Early, intensive sports specialization has been positioned as a potentially harmful pattern of participation for developing youth athletes; however, it remains largely unknown how youth sport families decide if and when an athlete will specialize. Areas lacking in the literature include exploration of the prevalence of specialization for elementary-school-aged athletes and in the community-based recreational context, current and prospective experiences of sport families, and comparisons between stakeholder groups regarding their perceptions of sport specialization.Purpose:To explore and compare early youth sport parent-athlete dyads’ perceived sport participation characteristics, attitudes, and experiences related to youth sport specialization.Methods:Youth sport parents and athletes completed a sport participation survey designed to examine 1) Demographic characteristics of the youth sport family and their context; 2) Characteristics of the youth athlete’s current (ie, degree of specialization) and planned sport participation pathway (ie, if and when they plan to specialize); 3) Perceptions of the athletes’ sport experience, with an emphasis on sport specialization. Descriptive analyses were conducted for demographic and sport participation characteristics, and paired-samples t-tests were conducted to compare sport-related attitudes and perceptions of sport specialization in matched parent-athlete dyads (p≤.05).Results:Ninety-six total participants (48 parent-athlete dyads; 66.7% of athletes (n=32) were male) from a single community-based early youth sport program completed the sport participation survey. 85.4% (n=72) of total participants rated the athlete’s current degree of specialization as low or not at all, though participants more commonly anticipated specializing in middle school (48.9%; n=44) and high school (52.2%; n=47). In comparing the parent-athlete dyads, these groups did not significantly differ in their perceptions of sport specialization, perceived pathway enjoyment, or their plans to specialize in the future. However, athletes were significantly more likely to identify as currently specialized (p<.01), perceive a higher degree of current specialization (p=.047), and rate themselves as more burned out (p<.01) than their parents.Conclusion:These findings indicate that parents and athletes generally possess similar attitudes toward sport specialization and perceptions of athletes’ sport experiences during their early youth participation. While youth sport families are not commonly engaging in specialization during these elementary school years, many plan an eventual sport pathway for their athlete that involves specializing in a main sport. Lastly, it appears that even at an early age, athletes may perceive their sport experience as more specialized and more taxing than their parents, highlighting the need for open communication and understanding within these dyads.Tables:

Youth Soccer Parents' Attitudes and Perceptions About Concussions

PurposeParents are important figures in properly managing youth sport concussions. Although media attention has predominantly centered on concussions in contact/collision sports, evidence suggests that the concussion rate in soccer is comparable to those found in contact/collision sports. Given the high rate of concussions in youth soccer, this study aimed to examine parents of youth soccer athletes' attitudes and perceptions about concussions and associated factors. MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted by surveying parents of youth soccer athletes from the five largest organized youth soccer programs across the U.S. The researchers developed a questionnaire after an extensive literature review and by modifying previously used instruments. ResultsOverall, 419 parents completed the survey. The vast majority (85%) agreed that a concussion is a serious injury, but only 27.9% believed that their child could suffer a concussion during the next season. Parents were most concerned about permanent brain damage when their child suffers a concussion. The vast majority (4.37 ± .89) perceived concussion reporting as an important injury prevention strategy. Greater appreciation and perceived risk about concussions was found particularly among parents who received concussion education and those who had witnessed or heard about a concussive incidence(s). ConclusionsFindings suggest that youth soccer parents have high appreciation and perceived risk about concussions. However, the need for more targeted education was noted, as improvements to better manage and reduce concussions can be made. Future research should continue examining youth sport parents' belief and understanding about concussions as well as factors affecting them.

Parental communication and reflective practice among youth sport parents

Parents can contribute to their children’s motivation and competence in sport through supportive behaviors; however, limited research has demonstrated how parents might learn to engage in these supportive behaviors with their child. The purpose of this research was to examine whether increasing parents’ awareness of their communication would influence parent-athlete communication behaviors. Ten hockey and soccer athletes between 13–15 years of age (7 males and 3 females), and one of their parents participated in the study (total N = 20). Parents and athletes completed pre- and post-intervention interviews and surveys. Parents also participated in a workshop and completed reflective practice audio diaries over six weeks. The qualitative findings demonstrated that the process of reflective practice may have increased parents’ awareness of their communication and their role as a sport parent, and encouraged parents to engage in critical self-evaluation. However, the quantitative results did not indicate statistically significant changes in perceptions of parent support, pressure, parenting style, or quality of communication over the six-week period. These findings provide important implications for parents and sport organizations by highlighting the use of reflective practice for improving parent-child communication. Lay Summary: We examined the influence of reflective practice on parent-athlete communication. Through engaging in reflective practice, parents engaged in critical self-evaluation of their communication behaviors. Reflective practice encouraged parents to be more autonomy supportive toward their child, and parents became more aware of their communication and responsibilities as a sport parent.

A Qualitative Study Examining Parental Involvement in Youth Sports over a One-Year Intervention Program.

The purpose of this 12-month intervention program was to examine parent–child relationship changes within the sports context. A qualitative interpretative phenomenological analysis was used for the study design. Ten families consented to in-depth interviews. The participants were 10 youth sport parents who had one child each aged 5–6 years. The intervention program involved the participation of all the parents and children. The program integrated psychological, educational, and sports skills into pre-organized sports training sessions. The study results revealed that the intervention program had a positive impact on the parent–child relationship in the sports context. Additionally, the study results suggest that parental involvement in the intervention program positively affected parent–child attachment, the quality of interpersonal relationships between the parent and the child, and effective parenting strategies. Future intervention programs should include both parent and children dyads.