The current study was undertaken to explore how U.S. National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I female and male head coaches defined and implemented care in their coaching practice. Eighteen coaches (M ¼ 39.2 years; nine females, nine males) from eight different sports (baseball, rowing, soccer, softball, swimming, track and field/crosscountry, volleyball, and golf) consented to be interviewed via a semi-structured interview guide based on the care literature. Data analysis was conducted using Consensual Qualitative Research with a team of five researchers including an external auditor. Results revealed that care revolved around six domains: (a) definition of care; (b) manifestations of care; (c) limits to capacity to be caring; (d) development of care; (e) factors facilitating care, and (f) factors hindering care. Each domain contained several categories (N ¼ 22 total categories) composed of core ideas. Results are presented using participants' own words to illustrate domains and categories. Implications for research and practice are also put forth, which link the findings to the broader U.S. National Collegiate Athletic Association coaching context.

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The focus of the current study was on the ways that U.S. National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I female and male assistant coaches defined and implemented care with their student-athletes. Twenty-three coaches (14 female, 9 male) from nine different sports (baseball, basketball, golf, rowing, softball, swimming, tennis, track and field/crosscountry, and volleyball) agreed to participate in a semi-structured interview. The data were analyzed using Consensual Qualitative Research by a team of four researchers as well as an external auditor. Results indicated that care was encompassed within 12 total categories and four major domains: (a) development of care, (b) definitions of care, (c) manifestations of care, and (d) factors influencing care. Results are presented using direct quotes from assistant coaches in the form of core ideas to highlight the domains and categories. Throughout the discussion, the findings are linked to previous research on care and the broader U.S. National Collegiate Athletic Association coaching context. In addition, directions for future research are also put forth.

Context Athletic trainers (ATs) have indicated a desire to better understand the motivations of athletes during rehabilitation. Self-determination theory offers an ideal lens for conceptualizing the antecedents, mediators, and consequences of motivated behavior. Objective To explore athletes' perceptions of ATs' influence on their basic psychological needs as well as their motivation during sport injury rehabilitation. Design Qualitative study. Setting National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I universities in the northwestern and southeastern United States. Patients or Other Participants A total of 10 injured and previously injured athletes (7 women, 3 men; mean age = 20.9 ± 2.0 years) active in a variety of sports. Data Collection and Analysis Participants completed semistructured interviews, which were transcribed verbatim. The data were analyzed using consensual qualitative research methods. Trustworthiness techniques (eg, bracketing interview, discussion of biases, member checking, external auditor) were used throughout the process. Results Four domains were constructed: (a) athletes' concerns about injury and rehabilitation, (b) ATs' feedback and athletes' perceptions of competence, (c) a person-centered approach from ATs and athletes' perceptions of autonomy, and (d) a connection between ATs' and athletes' perceptions of relatedness. Athletes' experiences were largely influenced by the degree to which they perceived that ATs satisfied their 3 basic psychological needs, which, in turn, was determined by the presence or absence of particular AT behaviors, such as providing encouragement (competence), soliciting input (autonomy), and building rapport (relatedness). Furthermore, the degree to which they perceived these basic psychological needs were fulfilled (or thwarted) affected their overall motivation during sport injury rehabilitation. Conclusions Self-determination theory is a promising framework for ATs to consider when addressing motivational challenges among injured athletes.

While the topic of caring coaching and its relationship to performance has been explored by researchers mainly in the UK, it has been neglected in the US with the exception of three studies by Fisher and colleagues. The core problem is a lack of understanding regarding the construct of care and whether coaches can care about athletes in pressure-filled, high-stakes, win-at-all-cost sport contexts. Thus, in this paper, we draw upon the ethic of care first proposed by Gilligan and later developed by Noddings and on results from the aforementioned studies by Fisher and colleagues as well as insights from scholarship in the UK to propose a heuristic of the potential relationship between caring coaching and elite athlete performance. Such a heuristic could be used in future coach development programs.

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Injuries inevitably occur in any sport at any level. The integrated sport injury model is one of the most extensive frameworks to address the psychological responses to athletic injury. While this model posits that socioeconomic status (SES) influences how an athlete cognitively, emotionally, and behaviorally responds to an injury, no research has substantiated this claim. Low SES individuals experience an exceptional amount of stress, which may complicate how they cope with a negative event. The coping strategies employed by an athlete can have major implications on rehabilitation adherence, recovery time, and psychosocial well-being. The purpose of this study was to qualitatively examine the experiences of low-to-middle SES athletes coping with injury. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 11 National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I athletes who had sustained recent injuries that lasted at least four weeks. A thematic data analysis produced 73 raw data themes and 16 higher-order themes, which were organized into five general dimensions: cognitive appraisals, emotional reactions, problem-focused coping, emotion-focused coping, and avoidance coping. While many participants initially reacted with catastrophizing thoughts and negatively toned emotions, they employed mostly adaptive forms of coping, such as positive reframing and perseverance. Generally, coaches, athletic trainers, sport psychology professionals, and other individuals should be more cognizant of SES and other related identities when collaborating with injured athletes.Chapter 4: RESULTS 56 Cognitive Appraisals

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