Para Sport Athletic Identity from Competition to Retirement

Guerrero, Michelle D.; Martin, Jeffrey J.

doi:10.1016/j.pmr.2018.01.007

Cited by 18 publications

(14 citation statements)

References 24 publications

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“…Paralympic athletes are likely to experience a range of sport-specific and disability-specific stressors that have the potential to compromise their personal well-being 8 9. It is thus remarkable that there have been so few studies exploring the lived experience of Paralympic athletes, their perception of psychosocial and sport-specific stressors, and their expressed mental health support needs, despite a growing body of literature looking more broadly at the experiences of Paralympians 10–13. The studies included in this review paid scant attention to the sociopolitical nature of disability, and instead tended to focus on issues of individual identity.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mental health symptoms and disorders in Paralympic athletes: a narrative review

et al. 2019

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ObjectivesThis narrative review summarises the literature on the mental health of Paralympic athletes, explores possible reasons for the paucity of research in this area and suggests directions for future research.MethodsA systematic search of PubMed, PsycINFO, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, SPORTDiscus, Scopus, and Cochrane databases was conducted using search terms related to disability, sport and mental health.ResultsThe search yielded 665 publications. Of these, 129 were duplicates, resulting in 536 publications identified for initial screening. A total of 72 publications were to be relevant at initial screening. Only seven publications addressed Paralympic athletes specifically. Of these papers, three included measures of depression and three included measures of anxiety. In the studies that were not concerned with mental health symptoms or disorders, the focus of enquiry included identity and self, stress, and well-being.ConclusionMost of the studies reviewed are small in scale, and there are almost no comparative data on Paralympic versus Olympic athletes. There is a paucity of data on rates of mental health symptoms and disorders in this population and the factors that might contribute to poor mental health among elite athletes with disabilities. We propose that stereotypes about people with disabilities—and the disability rights movement’s rightful reaction to these stereotypes—have created barriers to mental health research among Paralympic athletes. There is a need for enquiry into the differential stressors experienced by Paralympic athletes, including trauma, transition out of sport, sport and personhood, and the potential for disability sport to promote psychological health.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mental health symptoms and disorders in Paralympic athletes: a narrative review

et al. 2019

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“…Regarding disability sport AI, the present body of literature follow two distinct research lines: Quantitative research examining potential antecedents, correlates, and outcomes of the AI, and qualitative research learning how athletes feel about being an athlete while having a disability (Guerrero and Martin, 2018 ). By using in-depth interviews and focusing on personal narratives, qualitative studies capture the broad and complex dynamics of identity construction, development, and negotiation process (Martin, 2013 ).…”

Section: Literature Reviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

U.S. Paralympic Hopeful's Athletic Identity and How It Has Been Affected by the Sport Disruption of COVID-19

Mendoza

Cabador

et al. 2021

Front. Sports Act. Living

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The purpose of this study was to explore the status of Paralympic hopefuls' athletic identity and how this identity was impacted by the training and competition cessation resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. Researchers conducted in-depth semi-structured interviews that explored the experiences of 29 Paralympic hopefuls who compete in thirteen different Paralympic sports. A thematic analysis yielded two superordinate themes: a) Prominent athletic identity, multiplicity over exclusivity; b) Various Impact on AI: Mental adaptation helps overcome the lack of sport participation. Participants in this study possessed prominent strong athletic identities from the benefits of sport participation. Their prioritized athletic role still remains despite setbacks due to the pandemic. However, athletes identified with multiple roles rather than an exclusive athletic identity during COVID-19. As for the impacts on identity, the severity of challenges are determined by the mindset of the athletes. All of the athletes experienced a decreased amount of time and physical participation in their sport. Paralympians whose sole focus was on the loss of physical participation were impacted the most. Athletes who felt unchallenged did so because of their mental adaptation. Through a positive outlook and mentality, athletes were able to effectively cope and not dwell on the negative aspects brought on by the pandemic. In conclusion, having a strong AI did not necessarily coincide with a negative impact on identity from COVID-19, and those who do not possess a strong AI felt their AI was unchallenged by the pandemic. More importantly, Paralympians' mindset of how they view and interpret their AI is crucial to how the individual's AI is affected by the sport disruption of COVID-19.

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“…At the same time, stigma can serve to unify and to 'help' athletes position themselves in disability sports; identifying as a ' disability sports athlete' rather than a ' disabled athlete' is both sitgmatising and exalting (c.f. Apelmo 2014; Guerrero & Martin 2018).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…People with ID labels are judged and assessed in terms of what they cannot do rather than what they can do, meaning that ID plays a major role in identity construction and labelling; narratives of supercrip push the boundaries of ID (McRuer 2006;Schalk 2016). In addition, Pack, Kelly and Arvinen-Barrow (2017) and Smith et al (2015) showed that an athletic identity is pervasive and creates positive impressions, regardless of disability or ability, and can help overcome disablist attitudes (Guerrero & Martin 2018). On the other hand, sports targeting people with ID can reinforce social exclusion and perpetuate able-minded norms (Héas 2015;McConkey et al 2013).…”

Section: Helpless or Heromentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In addition, sports are a social activity that enables a sense of individual and collective self, meaningfulness and participation. That said, sports, and more specifically the social interaction it entails, is an arena for participation and identity construction for those involved (Guerrero & Martin 2018). Studies show that people with intellectual disability (ID) have been excluded from sports activities (Hassan et al 2012) and have far from equal opportunities to participate in sports.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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