Bullying in youth sports training : new perspectives and practical strategies

Based on an extensive national research project with global relevance, this pioneering volume draws on unique data on bullying in youth sports training collected from both athletes and coaches using a variety of methodological approaches. Nery, Neto, Rosado and Smith use this research to establish a baseline of the prevalence of bullying among young male athletes, offering evidence-based strategies for prevention and providing a solid theoretical basis for the development of anti-bullying intervention programs. Bullying in Youth Sports Training explores how often bullying occurs, how long it lasts, where and when bullying takes place, the coping strategies used by victims, and the individual roles of victims, bystanders and bullies. It provides new insights into theories of youth sport bullying and highlights the particular characteristics specific to bullying in sport. The backgrounds of bullies and victims are also explored, as well as the consequences and practical implications of sustained bullying. The book provides both theoretical and practical approaches to bullying in youth sport training, providing anti-bullying guidelines based on the results of the research. The book is essential reading for scholars and students in child development and sport sciences as well as sports coaches and professionals in mental health, education and social work. Cover Half Title Title Page Copyright Page Table of Contents List of figures List of tables Preface About the authors Introduction Overview of the book PART I: Conceptual issues 1. Research on bullying Historical framework General issues and theories about bullying Theoretical framework for bullying in youth sport: Ecological Systems Theory Coping strategies employed by victims Consequences of bullying: results from research in school Why study bullying in youth sport? The rationale for our research 2. History of sport, violence in sport and issues in youth sports training Sport: an ancestral phenomenon Violence in sport Discrimination in sports settings Aggressiveness, sexuality and sexual stereotypes and the understanding of violence and discrimination in sports settings Research on bullying in youth sport Theoretical framework for bullying in youth sport: Ecological Systems Theory Characteristics of bullying episodes in youth sport Sport as a social good and promoter of physical and emotional development Limitations of sports activity Summary and main conclusions 3. The Portuguese context The first researches on bullying in Portugal: the school setting Information about Portugal Portuguese youth sports organizations Description of sports studied in our project Summary PART II: Research on bullying in youth sports training 4. Methods Introduction Study 1: quantitative analysis of bullying in youth sports training Studies 2, 3 and 4: qualitative analysis of bullying in youth sports training Ethical issues Summary 5. Frequency of bullying behaviours Introduction Prevalence of bullying behaviours Involvement in bullying episodes Analysis of the common variables: bullying types and feelings Summary and main conclusions 6. Circumstances of bullying episodes Introduction Involvement in bullying episodes as victims Involvement in bullying episodes as bullies Involvement in bullying episodes as bystanders General conclusions 7. Narratives of the athletes Analysis of the narratives of the athletes Practical implications Discussion Roles Practical implications Summary and main conclusions 8. Narratives of the coaches The narratives of the coaches Discussion Summary and main conclusions 9. Narratives of the ex-elite athletes Analysis of the narratives of ex-elite athletes Discussion Summary and main conclusions PART III: Conclusions and practical implications 10. Discussion and conclusions on athlete–athlete bullying Conceptual issues Prevalence of bullying Analysis of the participants: profiles of victims and bullies Analysis of bullying episodes Communication, coping strategies and consequences Summary and main conclusions 11. Coach abuse The coach-athlete relationship Systematic abuse from coach-to-athlete. should we call it “coach bullying”? Encouragement or coach-bullying? Risk factors for coach-bullying Defensive strategies and intellectualized justifications for coach-bullying: Reasons for silence of the athletes about coach-bullying Consequences of coach-to-athlete bullying The process of the coach-athlete relationship in SHA Key concepts in SHA Summary 12. Practical implications, and guidelines for athletes, parents and coaches Introduction Guidelines for stakeholders References Appendices Index Bullying in Youth Sports Training explores how often bullying occurs, how long it lasts, where and when it takes place, the coping strategies used by victims, and the roles of bystanders and bullies. It provides insights into theories of youth sport bullying and highlights the characteristics specific to bullying in sport.