Dr Gareth Jowett

Perfectionism has been linked to doping in sport. However, research to date has focused on trait perfectionism, and has neglected other, possibly relevant aspects of perfectionism. One such aspect is perfectionistic self-presentation – the interpersonal expression of perfectionism. Therefore, the aim of the present research note was to provide a first exploratory examination of whether perfectionistic self-presentation is related to doping in sport. To do so, we recruited two samples of athletes (total N = 362) who responded to measures of perfectionistic self-presentation (perfectionistic self-promotion, nondisplay of imperfection, nondisclosure of imperfection), positive attitudes towards doping (Sample 1), and doping willingness (Sample 2). Results of bivariate correlational analyses, showed that nondisclosure of imperfection was positively correlated with positive attitudes towards doping, and perfectionistic self-promotion and nondisplay of imperfection were positively correlated with doping willingness. When controlling for the overlap between perfectionistic self-presentation dimensions, in regression analyses, only nondisclosure of imperfection emerged as a positive predictor of positive attitudes towards doping (Sample 1). The findings provide tentative evidence that perfectionistic self-presentation may be associated with doping, at least at the bivariate level, and in doing so, highlights the need for future doping research to consider other aspects of perfectionism.

Research suggests that self-oriented perfectionism and socially prescribed perfectionism have unique and distinct motivational properties that are evident among junior athletes. Likewise, harmonious and obsessive passions encompass distinctive patterns of motivation. Based on suggestions that different dimensions of perfectionism may be associated with varying types of passion, the aim of the current study was to test the possibility that self oriented and socially prescribed perfectionism could be distinguished based on their relationship with harmonious and obsessive passion in junior athletes. Two hundred and forty-nine athletes (M age = 16.07, SD = 2.22) competing in various youth sports completed measures of perfectionism and passion. Multiple regression and canonical correlation analyses indicated that self-oriented perfectionism predicted higher levels of both types of passion. In contrast, socially prescribed perfectionism predicted only obsessive passion. The findings provide an initial indication that the motivational differences between self-oriented and socially prescribed perfectionism extend to the types of passion they engender. The findings also provide additional insight into the patterns of motivation that are likely to arise from the two dimensions of perfectionism in junior athletes.

Understanding of how coaches influence adolescents' levels of engagement and disaffection in youth sport is important in light of the high attrition in this population. Grounded in self-determination theory, we proposed and tested a mediation model that describes pathways linking perceptions of coach behavior (autonomy supportive versus controlling) to adolescents' engagement and disaffection via psychological need satisfaction and thwarting in youth sport. One-hundred and fifty-three adolescent soccer players (Mage - 13.96 ± 1.41) completed a questionnaire that assessed the study variables. Structural equation modelling supported the hypothesised model. Perceptions of autonomy support positively predicted psychological need satisfaction which, in turn, positively predicted engagement. Perceptions of controlling behaviors positively predicted psychological need thwarting which, in turn, positively predicted disaffection. In addition, a number of cross-over paths emerged. The findings substantiate claims that encouraging self-directed action, and reducing controlling behaviors, is critical in order to foster engagement and avoid disaffection in youth sport.

In this study, findings concerned with the association of self-reported global self-esteem, vitality and athletes' moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) in young soccer players and the generalisability of these associations across different European populations are presented. After listwise exclusion of missing cases and the elimination of cases reporting less than a week of intensive physical activity, the sample of this analysis included 6796 athletes from France (N = 974), Greece (N = 1416), Norway (N = 1051), Spain (N = 2175) and England (N = 1180). Results from multi-sample structural equation modelling analyses provided evidence of invariance across countries for factor loadings and structural covariances, but not for intercepts and means. Across the five countries, MVPA corresponded positively to global self-esteem and vitality, and global self-esteem and vitality had a high positive correlation. The findings imply that the employed measures have the same meaning across the five countries, but scale scores cannot be compared across countries. The results also provide initial support to the generalisability of the assumption that the positive association of MVPA and well-being is evident across different European populations. © 2013 International Society of Sport Psychology.

Univariate and multivariate relationships between perfectionistic self-presentation and reactions to impairment and disability following spinal cord injury were examined. One hundred and forty-four adults with spinal cord injury (M = 48.18 years, SD = 15.96) completed self-report measures. Analyses revealed that, after controlling for time since injury and gender, perfectionistic self-presentation predicted six of eight reactions, shock, depression, and internalised anger particularly strongly. In addition, at multivariate level, perfectionistic self-presentation was positively related to non-adaptive reactions and negatively related to adaptive reactions. The findings suggest that perfectionistic self-presentation may contribute to poorer psychosocial adaptation to spinal cord injury.

Perfectionism involves extreme requirements for perfection that may give rise to antisocial behaviour in team sport. To test this possibility, we first examined pathways linking self-oriented perfectionism and socially prescribed perfectionism to antisocial behaviour. We then examined pathways linking other-oriented perfectionism to antisocial behaviour via angry reactions to poor teammate performance. A cross-sectional design was employed. Competitive team sport athletes (n = 257, Mage = 20.71 years, s = 4.10) completed measures of perfectionism, angry reactions to poor teammate performance, and antisocial behaviour. In testing the first aim, we found that self-oriented perfectionism shared no relationship with antisocial teammate behaviour and a negative relationship with antisocial opponent behaviour. By contrast, socially prescribed perfectionism shared positive relationships with antisocial behaviour toward teammates and opponents. In testing the second aim, we found that other-oriented perfectionism shared positive indirect relationships with antisocial behaviour toward teammates and opponents via angry reactions to poor teammate performance. In line with recent theoretical assertions, these findings suggest that there may be a darker side to perfectionism that is related with antisocial behaviour in team sport.

Few studies have examined how perfectionism relates to athlete engagement. In addition, the studies that do exist have focused on the main effects of dimensions of perfectionism as opposed to their interactive effects. The first purpose of the study was therefore to examine the interactive effects of dimensions of perfectionism in predicting athlete engagement and, in doing so, test the hypotheses of the 2 × 2 model of perfectionism. The second purpose of the study was to examine whether support for the 2 × 2 model depended on the instrument used to measure perfectionism. Three samples of junior and adult athletes from various sports (total N = 730) completed measures of perfectionism indicative of personal standards perfectionism (PSP) and evaluative concerns perfectionism (ECP) (HF-Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale, Cox, Enns, & Clara, 2002; Sport-Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale-2, Gotwals & Dunn, 2009; Multidimensional Inventory of Perfectionism for Sport, Stoeber et al. 2007), as well as a measure of athlete engagement (Athlete Engagement Questionnaire, Lonsdale, Hodge & Jackson, 2007). Moderated regression analyses provided support for the hypotheses of the 2 × 2 model for some facets of engagement but not others. Generally, pure PSP (high PSP/low ECP) was associated with the highest levels of athlete engagement and pure ECP (low PSP/high ECP) was associated with the lowest levels of athlete engagement. Support for the 2 × 2 model also differed depending on the instrument used to measure perfectionism. Overall, the findings suggest that the 2 × 2 model may explain differences between athletes in levels of engagement. However, these differences will depend on which indicators of PSP and ECP are examined.

Previous findings highlight the relationships between 2 2 perfectionism and burnout in dancers, but researchers are yet to examine the relationships between 2 2 perfectionism and, the opposing outcome of, engagement in dance. Similarly, we know little about the factors that may moderate these relationships. We therefore sought to extend previous research by examining the relationships between 2 2 perfectionism and both burnout and engagement in dancers, and by assessing whether autonomy support moderated the relationships between subtypes of perfectionism and the two opposing outcomes. Adolescent dancers (N 244, female n 198, M_{age<\sub> 15.00 years, SD 2.90 years) completed measures capturing 4 subtypes of perfectionism (pure personal standards perfectionism, pure evaluative concerns perfectionism, mixed perfectionism, and nonperfectionism), burnout dimensions (reduced sense of accomplishment, emotional/physical exhaustion, devaluation), engagement dimensions (confidence, dedication, vigor, enthusiasm), and autonomy support provided by their dance teacher. Moderated regression analyses supported all 4 hypotheses of the 2 2 perfectionism model for burnout (all dimensions) and dedication, vigor, and enthusiasm, and supported 3 hypotheses for confidence (Hypotheses 1a, 2, and 3). In addition, autonomy support moderated the relationships between subtypes of perfectionism and burnout (reduced accomplishment and devaluation) and engagement (all dimensions). The findings suggest that providing autonomy support offers a potential strategy to prevent burnout and promote engagement in perfectionistic dancers.}

Field tests are commonly used by sport scientists for performance monitoring and evaluation. While perfectionism predicts performance in a range of contexts, it is currently unclear whether perfectionism predicts performance in such tests. To address this lack of understanding, the present study examined the relationships between perfectionism and fitness-based field test performance across three athlete samples. After completing a measure of perfectionism (striving for perfection and negative reactions to imperfection), sample one (n = 129 student athletes) participated in a series of countermovement jumps and 20-metre sprint trials, sample two (n = 136 student athletes) participated in an agility task, and sample three (n = 116 junior athletes) participated in the Yo-Yo intermittent recovery test (level one). Striving for perfection predicted better sprint and Yo-Yo test performance. Negative reactions to imperfection predicted worse sprint performance. Mini meta-analyses of the combined data (N = 381) showed that striving for perfection was positively related to performance (r+ = .24), but negative reactions to imperfection was unrelated to performance (r+ = -.05). The present findings indicate that striving for perfection may predict better fitness-based field test performance, while negative reactions to imperfection appears to be ambiguous.

A substantial body of evidence links perfectionism to well-being and performance outcomes in dancers and athletes. Yet, we know relatively little about leaders’ perfectionism in dance and sport. This is important because leaders’ perfectionism likely impacts both themselves and their performers. In this study, we examined relationships between leader perfectionism, their provision of basic needs support, and whether stress explains these relationships. Aesthetic activity leaders (N = 463, n = 336 dance teachers, n = 127 aesthetic sport coaches, n = 376 female, M age = 35.47 years old, SD = 12.46) completed an online questionnaire measuring multidimensional perfectionism (self-oriented perfectionism, SOP; socially prescribed perfectionism, SPP; and other oriented perfectionism, OOP), self-reported provision of basic needs support (autonomy, competence, relatedness), and perceived stress. Correlations suggested that leaders displaying higher levels of any perfectionism dimension (SOP, SPP, and OOP) provided less support for autonomy, and perceived higher levels of stress. Leaders displaying higher levels of SPP also reported providing less support for competence. Structural equation modeling revealed that perceived stress partially mediated the relationships between perfectionism and provision of basic needs support. SPP shared a negative indirect relationship with autonomy support, as well as negative direct and indirect relationships with competence support, both via perceived stress. By contrast, OOP shared positive indirect relationships with autonomy support and competence support via perceived stress. Based on these findings, dance and sport organizations should minimize pressures on leaders to be perfect, help them identify how their perfectionism impacts both themselves and others, and work with them to optimize basic needs support.

Using a self-determination theory (SDT) framework, the aims of our study were to examine the perfectionism-exercise dependence relationships, and whether basic psychological needs and introjected regulation explained these relationships. Distance runners (n=260, M age:=42.41 years; SD:=11.95 years, n=144 female) completed measures of multidimensional perfectionism (self-oriented perfectionism (SOP); socially prescribed perfectionism (SPP)), basic psychological need satisfaction and thwarting, introjected regulation, and exercise dependence. Bivariate correlations revealed signifcant positive SOP-exercise dependence and SPP-exercise dependence relationships. Structural equation modelling suggested that, in combination, perfectionism, basic psychological need satisfaction/ thwarting and introjected regulation accounted for large amounts of variance in exercise dependence. Tests of indirect efects showed that the SPP-exercise dependence relationship was mediated by basic psychological need thwarting and introjected regulation. Our fndings suggest that while the SOP-exercise dependence relationship is more direct, need thwarting and introjected regulation represent a motivational signature of SPP and exercise dependence.

© 2016 Elsevier Ltd. Recent research indicates perfectionistic concerns and perfectionistic strivings share divergent associations with athlete burnout and athlete engagement. Guided by self-determination theory, the present study examined whether these associations were explained by basic psychological needs. Youth athletes (n = 222, M age = 16.01, SD = 2.68) completed measures of multidimensional perfectionism, athlete burnout, athlete engagement, basic psychological need satisfaction and thwarting. Structural equation modelling revealed that basic psychological need satisfaction and thwarting mediated the perfectionism-engagement and perfectionism-burnout relationships. Perfectionistic concerns shared a negative relationship (via need satisfaction) with athlete engagement and a positive relationship (via need satisfaction and thwarting) with athlete burnout. In contrast, perfectionistic strivings shared a positive relationship (via need satisfaction) with athlete engagement and a negative relationship (via need satisfaction and thwarting) with athlete burnout. The findings highlight the role of basic psychological needs in explaining the differential associations that perfectionistic concerns and strivings share with athlete burnout and engagement.

Youth sport is a source of well-being for adolescents, yet experiences vary and attrition can be high. We sought to better understand the coach behaviors that foster positive experiences in youth sport by examining relationships between the motivational climate and athlete engagement (viz., confidence, dedication, enthusiasm, and vigor). We reasoned that a mastery climate (emphasis on effort and learning) would correspond with higher engagement, whereas a performance climate (emphasis on ability and outcome) was expected to correspond with lower engagement. Two-hundred sixty adolescent soccer players completed measures of engagement and perceived coach motivational climate. All dimensions of engagement were positively predicted by a mastery climate. Furthermore, cognitive aspects of engagement were positively predicted by a performance climate. Canonical correlation analysis indicated that a composite of engagement was positively associated with a mastery climate. Results suggest that a mastery climate offers a means of promoting higher levels of overall engagement.

Research adopting self-determination theory (SDT) supports a mediation model whereby coach motivational styles (autonomy support and interpersonal control) predict athletes' engagement and disaffection in youth sport via the satisfaction and frustration of psychological needs (autonomy, competence, and relatedness). Our study extends this research by examining SDT's mediation model longitudinally with three waves of data. Two hundred fifty-two youth sports participants (Mage = 12.98; SD = 1.84; range = 11-17; female n = 67) completed measures of study variables at the start, middle, and end of a competitive soccer season. Cross-lagged path analyses revealed that associations between the two coach motivational styles and athletes' engagement were mediated by psychological need satisfaction. Furthermore, a positive reciprocal association between psychological need satisfaction and engagement emerged over time. This study therefore supports the temporal assumptions underpinning SDT's mediation model but, importantly, evidences a mutually reinforcing interplay between athletes' psychological needs and their engaged behavior.

Perfect performance, flawlessness, and the perfect body are revered in sport, dance, and exercise. As such, sport, dance, and exercise provide ideal domains in which to study perfectionism. This chapter provides an overview of research that has examined multidimensional perfectionism in these domains. We place particular emphasis on the most recent research in this area and provide suggestions to guide future research. It will be argued that perfectionism is a complex characteristic with particular relevance in sport, dance, and exercise. In addition, in its various guises, perfectionism can be problematic, beneficial, and also ambivalent with regards to motivation, well-being, and performance. To better understand the effects of perfectionism in sport, dance, and exercise, we call for research that adopts longitudinal designs, examines moderating factors, develops and refines measurement tools, and focuses on the influence of perfectionism among exercisers.

Perfectionism is a multidimensional personality trait with two higher-order dimensions; perfectionistic strivings and perfectionistic concerns. The purpose of the present study was to explore and evaluate the two-factor model for the first time using three instruments developed to measure perfectionism in sport. In doing so, we (i) assessed the fit of two-factor models when including and excluding various contentious subscales (other-oriented perfectionism, parental pressure, coach pressure, organisation, and negative reactions to imperfection) and (iii) compared two-factor models to alternative one-factor (or unidimensional) models. Participants were recruited from community and university sports clubs in the UK (N = 527; M age = 18.07 years, SD = 0.49) and completed the Sport-Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale-2 (Gotwals & Dunn, 2009), the Multidimensional Inventory of Perfectionism in Sport (Stoeber et al., 2006), and the Performance Perfectionism Scale-Sport (Hill et al., 2018). Support was found for the two-factor model, with superior fit displayed each time the aforementioned subscales were excluded and, in all cases, when compared to a unidimensional model. The findings suggest that the two-factor model is a adequate representation of the underlying structure of instruments designed to measure perfectionism in sport with better fit and conceptual clarity offered by more parsimonious models.

Most research on perfectionism in sport, dance, and exercise continues to examine the effects of dimensions of perfectionism separately. In this chapter, we describe this independent-effects approach and revisit our previous review of research that has adopted it in sport, dance, and exercise. In doing so, we provide an updated account of the thoughts, emotions, and behaviours related to multidimensional perfectionism. In a further extension of our previous work, we also include a focus on the total unique effect of perfectionism. This is a new approach to examining the effects of multidimensional perfectionism and can be used to help determine whether, overall, perfectionism is adaptive, maladaptive, or neutral. Our updated review shows that research in this area continues to grow, most notably in sport. In addition, consistent with our previous review perfectionistic concerns and perfectionistic strivings continue to be associated with contrasting patterns of effects. In illustrating the use of total unique effects, we show for the first time that, overall, perfectionism is likely to be maladaptive in these domains, largely due to the relative influence of perfectionistic concerns.

A large portion of research that has examined perfectionism in sport, dance, and exercise has done so by examining the effects of dimensions of perfectionism separately and, in many cases, their unique effects. In this chapter, we describe this approach and provide a summary of research that has adopted it in sport, dance, and exercise. In reviewing research, particular attention is given to studies that have examined the relationship between perfectionism and athlete burnout. This is because, more so than other outcome, there are ample studies on which to draw that have examined this relationship. In addition, these studies illustrate nicely the divergent processes associated with dimensions of perfectionism. We conclude by offering a caveat to this approach that centres on the “perils of partialling” and the importance of viewing “pure” dimensions of perfectionism as potentially distinct from their original counterparts.

Certain dimensions of perfectionism appear to place junior athletes at greater risk of burnout. The current study adopted self-determination theory to explain why this is the case. Specifically, as athlete burnout is believed to have a motivational signature that can be described using motivational regulation, the study examined whether autonomous motivation and controlled motivation mediated the perfectionism– burnout relationship. Junior athletes (n = 211, M age = 15.61 years, s = 1.73) completed measures of multidimensional perfectionism, athlete burnout, and motivational regulation. Structural equation modeling revealed that autonomous motivation and controlled motivation partially mediated the relationship between perfectionism and burnout. Perfectionistic concerns had a positive direct and indirect (via controlled motivation) relationship with burnout. In contrast, perfectionistic strivings had a negative direct and indirect (via autonomous motivation) relationship with burnout. The findings suggest that perfectionistic concerns encompass a pattern of motivational regulation, which contributes to the occurrence of athlete burnout, whereas perfectionistic strivings encompass a pattern of motivational regulation inversely associated with athlete burnout.

© 2018 American Psychological Association. The current study provides an updated and meta-analytical review of research examining multidimensional perfectionism in sport. In doing so, studies that report the relationships between perfectionistic strivings, perfectionistic concerns and a range of motivation, emotion/well-being, and performance criterion variables are examined. A literature search yielded 52 studies and 697 effect sizes for 29 criterion variables. Random effects models revealed that perfectionistic strivings displayed small-tomedium relationships with a mix of maladaptive and adaptive motivation and emotion/ well-being, and a small-to-medium relationship with better performance. By contrast, perfectionistic concerns displayed a small-to-medium relationship with maladaptive motivation and emotion/well-being and were unrelated to performance. After controlling for the relationship between the two dimensions of perfectionism, the relationships displayed by residual perfectionistic strivings were indicative of it being less problematic, and the relationships displayed by residual perfectionistic concerns were indicative of it being more problematic than their unresidualized counterparts. There was also some preliminary evidence that some of the relationships were moderated by gender, age, sport type, and instrument. The findings suggest that perfectionistic concerns are clearly maladaptive for athletes, whereas perfectionistic strivings are complex and ambiguous.

Sport injury prevalence ranges from 20-30 million per year within the UK and US impeding sports participation greatly. As well as the personal detriment for the players, this also results in significant financial cost., For example, sports injuries cost the English Premier League approximately 45 million per year between 2012/13 and 2016/17, and for European clubs an average of 500,000 euros per month which suggests a comprehensive understanding is important from both a health, and financial perspective. Electronic database searching, forward and backward citation searching and bibliography searching was completed on 08/03/23. Studies that included competitive athletes and psychosocial risk factors influencing injury risk were included. 52 studies evaluated 10,994 athletes, 13 coaches and 5 physiotherapists. Three core themes were identified, namely: Injury-related Cognitions such as Athletic Identity; Injury-related Emotions such as stress and anxiety and Injury-related Behaviours such as autonomy support. Psychosocial stress is the most widely reported risk factor for sports injuries, and in agreement with The Model of Stress and Athletic injury research commonly suggests that effective coping strategies can help to reduce this risk.

Perfectionism dimensions have previously demonstrated different relationships with coping strategies in sport. The purpose of the present study was to extend existing research by examining the interactive effects of perfectionism dimensions on strategies employed by marathon runners to cope with injury. This involved testing the hypotheses of the 2×2 model of perfectionism in marathon runners. Marathon runners (n = 224, female n = 81, M age = 39.77 years, SD = 9.50 years) completed measures capturing four sub-types of perfectionism (pure personal standards perfectionism, pure evaluative concerns perfectionism, mixed perfectionism, and non-perfectionism) and strategies for coping with injury (problem-focused coping, emotion-focused coping, and avoidance coping). Moderated regression analyses provided support for all four hypotheses of the 2×2 model for problem-focused coping, one hypothesis for emotion-focused coping, and one hypothesis for avoidance coping. The findings suggest that problem-focused coping is higher for pure personal standards perfectionism compared to the three other sub-types of perfectionism, emotion-focused coping is higher for pure personal standards perfectionism compared to non-perfectionism, and avoidance coping is similar across all sub-types of perfectionism. The results provide an initial indication of the potential of the 2×2 model of perfectionism to explain differences in the use of coping strategies in context of marathon running injury.

Background: The recent exponential rise in esports participation has stimulated growing interest in the performance, participation, and well-being of esports players. This research has culminated in several systematic reviews that provide an initial biopsychosocial perspective of esports players. The aim of our umbrella review was to synthesise and quality appraise these systematic reviews to provide a coherent understanding of the biopsychosocial factors affecting esports players’ performance and well-being. Methods: An umbrella review was conducted on literature published from 2010 onwards from six online databases to identify and examine systematic reviews within esports literature related to mental health and performance. AMSTAR-2 was used to critically appraise systematic reviews. Results: Fourteen systematic reviews were identified examining player performance (n=5), player mental health (n=4), and a combination of both factors (n=5). Four key themes were identified on esports player lifestyle, cognition, physical health, and gender-based concerns. Twelve of the 14 systematic reviews were rated low or critically low quality. Discussion: The results highlight the biopsychosocial factors related to esports participation showing a positive impact on cognitive functioning, a mixed-to-negative impact on sleep outcomes and physical activity, and discrimination towards female players. The low-quality reviews show a need for more rigorous methodology in esports research

Background and Objectives: The esports industry has continued to see exponential growth in recent years (Statista, 2023). Despite this growth, there are concerns about the experiences of women in esports, primarily female esports players. For example, women in esports often experience harassment and discrimination online (Ruvalcaba et al., 2018). In addition to anecdotal evidence, a recent non-academic, commercial survey also found almost 60% of female gamers have experienced abuse online, with 30% experiencing sexual harassment and exclusion from games (Bryter, 2020). Despite the clear presence of harassment within the esports industry, there is a lack of extensive, empirical research on the frequency and potential implications of such incidents specifically within esports literature on female players. This lack of research makes it challenging to fully comprehend the scale of the problem and develop effective strategies to address it. The aim is to investigate the extent of harassment experienced by female esports players and consequences on player performance and participation. Methods: A cross-sectional design will be used to conduct a prevalence and burden study (Capili, 2021) on current female esports players to understand their experiences of harassment through esports participation. An online questionnaire will be implemented to assess and examine the overall frequency of harassment experienced by female players, and the subsequent burden associated with their willingness to participate in esports, potential time loss in participation from harassment, perceptions of gender identity, and their self-rated performance. Results: Preliminary findings concerning the frequency of harassment and implications on female esports players will be discussed in the presentation. Conclusion: The project intends to address the gap in quantitative literature on female esports players, and potentially encourage stakeholders and governing bodies to consider what steps can be taken to develop an environment in which women feel safe to thrive in esports.

Purpose: Research has identified a range of intrapersonal variables associated with moral behaviours in sport. However, research investigating how perfectionism and burnout are associated with prosocial and antisocial behaviour toward teammates and opponents in sport has received scant attention. In the present study, we addressed this issue by examining whether perfectionism was associated with prosocial and antisocial behaviour in sport directly and indirectly via burnout and moral disengagement. Method: A total of 312 team sport players completed validated measures for each variable. Results: Path analyses revealed that perfectionistic concerns had a negative relationship with prosocial behaviour toward teammates, and an indirect positive association with antisocial behaviour toward both teammates and opponents via being positively associated with burnout, which in turn, was positively associated with moral disengagement. In contrast, perfectionistic strivings had a positive association with prosocial behaviour toward teammates, and an indirect positive association with antisocial behaviour toward teammates and opponents via moral disengagement. Conclusion: Our findings offer new insights about how perfectionism and burnout are associated with prosocial and antisocial behaviour in sport as well as highlight the need to consider perfectionistic tendencies and approaches to help reduce burnout and moral disengagement in the regulation of antisocial behaviour in sport.

Background: This 90-minute workshop will showcase a game-based approach for enhancing engagement and academic performance of undergraduate students. Attendance at the workshop will offer delegates the following learning experiences and anticipated outcomes: i) Active participation in “Escape Room”-style formative assessments that were recently delivered as part of a Level 5 Research Methods module; ii) Engagement in facilitated discussion and debate regarding preliminary findings from a project designed to assess the efficacy of gamification as a contemporary pedagogical approach. iii) Be able to identify where and how game-based approaches to learning and teaching could be embedded within practice. Key points: Research Methods represents an essential yet highly-challenging component of many undergraduate degree programmes, including Sport & Exercise Psychology. Specifically, Research Methods is commonly perceived by learners as a threat to their educational experience, and of limited use to their future academic or career aspirations. The resulting lack of student engagement has been cited as one of the key factors that prevents progression and facilitates student drop-out. This workshop will offer a stimulating and interactive demonstration of an innovative, evidence-informed approach to learning and teaching. Delegates will learn about examples of how such an approach could be confidently implemented into existing curricula. Conclusions: Drawing on theories of “learning through play”, the workshop will provide an overview of methods by which the “gamification” of teaching, learning, and assessment in Sport & Exercise Psychology can be achieved. Emerging evidence will be presented to support a pedagogical solution which has potential in both scope and longevity.

Background Athletes are recognised as being at elevated risk of disordered eating (DE), with particularly high prevalence observed in ‘weight-sensitive’ sports. However, limited research has examined this issue within contact sports such as rugby, where unique physical demands and cultural norms may shape eating behaviours differently. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence, characteristics, and contextual drivers of DE among national-level male and female rugby union and rugby league players in England. A mixed-methods, cross-sectional design was employed utilising an online questionnaire, incorporating the Eating Disorders Examination Questionnaire (EDEQ), the Muscularity Orientated Eating Test (MOET) and open-ended qualitative questions. Participants (n = 182) included current players from Premiership Women’s Rugby, Gallagher Premiership, Women’s Super League, and Men’s Super League. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive and non-parametric statistics and qualitative responses underwent reflexive content analysis. Results Data from the EDEQ showed 28% of female and 9% of male players exceeded clinical thresholds for DE, with the highest prevalence among front-row forwards and players with a self-reported body mass index of >25 kg/m². Muscularity-oriented DE was similar in both sexes (MOET mean scores: females = 13.8; males = 13.0). Athletes reported DE behaviours including binge eating (40% of participants), compulsive exercise (33%), vomiting (2%), and laxative use (1%). Qualitative findings revealed a perceived link between body composition and performance, with 82% of players attempting to manipulate their bodies in the previous 12 months. 63% of players reported pressure to change their body composition, commonly driven by coaches (17%) or intrinsic motivations (16%). 44% experienced body-related comments in the rugby setting, frequently perceived as insults/jokes (19%), with players reporting emotional distress in response (11%). Conclusion National-level rugby players – particularly females, forwards, and individuals with self-reported high-BMI – are at elevated risk for DE. The findings reveal a high-pressure sporting culture in which physical size is paradoxically required and ridiculed. To address this complex issue, comprehensive and system-wide prevention strategies are urgently needed. These include challenging harmful cultural norms, cultivating psychological safety, and prioritising the holistic health and wellbeing of players across both men’s and women’s national-level rugby.

Although trait perfectionism has been related to doping attitudes in athletes, research investigating variables that could account for relationships between perfectionism and doping outcomes has received scant attention. Consequently, the aim of the present study was to investigate whether perfectionism was related to doping willingness directly and indirectly via moral disengagement. We recruited a sample of 204 student athletes (M age = 19.12 years, SD = 1.17, n = 81 females - 39.70%) who completed measures of perfectionistic strivings, perfectionistic concerns, doping moral disengagement, and doping willingness. Multiple regression analyses revealed a significant positive relationship between perfectionistic concerns and doping willingness (β = .13, p < .05) and a nonsignificant relationship between perfectionistic strivings and doping willingness (β = −.01, p > .05). Moreover, bias-corrected bootstrapped indirect effects revealed that doping moral disengagement mediated the relationship between perfectionistic concerns and doping willingness (ab = .12; 95% CI = .02 to .21). The findings suggest that the relationship between perfectionistic concerns and doping extends beyond attitudes – to doping willingness – and the propensity to morally disengage explains why this is the case.

Despite the widespread health benefits of physical activity, globally, four out of five adolescents are insufficiently active. Sport participation, a key vehicle for physical activity, diminishes by as much as 80% as children get older. To-date no theoretically grounded, validated research meas-ure of dropout exists. In this two-paper series, we attempt to resolve this issue via the develop-ment, initial validation, and application of the Youth Sport Dropout Questionnaire. In the current paper – Pat I – we used the COM-B framework to design and initially validate The Youth Sport Dropout Questionnaire. Three sequential studies were conducted. Study 1 included a review of existing literature, an expert consultation and participant focus groups generating 49 reasons for youth sport dropout. Study 2 explored the functionality of the 49 items in a sample of 479 stu-dents. Exploratory factor analysis revealed a 28-item four-factor solution. Study 3 tested the di-mensionality and reliability of the scale in a sample of 648 students from seven European coun-tries. Confirmatory factor analysis supported a final 16-item, four-factor solution, suggesting that reasons for dropout behavior were captured by capability (C), opportunity (O), motivation (M) with the important new addition of injury (I). This initial validation supports the YDSQ as a rig-orous research tool to capture the reasons underpinning youth sport dropout behavior.

Children’s physical activity levels and competence have declined steadily and globally over the last two decades. This decrease has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The impact in young people’s physical and mental wellbeing, now and in the future, has been demonstrated in multiple studies. Action is needed. ICOACHKIDS+ is an Erasmus+ Sport co-funded project part of the overall activities of the ICOACHKIDS Global Movement. It aims to enhance sport participation and reduce dropout for children aged 13-18, and to maximise sport’s health enhancing properties. This report presents the findings of a unique series of multi-country and multi-sport studies investigating the participation rates of children and young people in organised youth sport and the reasons why they stop taking part. Based on these findings, a set of recommendations to enhance young people’s participation in sport are proposed.

Organised sport is one potential antidote to the global youth inactivity crisis. Therefore, under-standing why young people drop out constitutes a key research endeavour. In paper 1 of this se-ries, we developed and validated a new Youth Sport Dropout Questionnaire (YSDQ). In paper 2, we used the YSDQ-LV (49-item long version) to examine dropout in 1127 university students from seven European countries. A four-stage analysis investigated the relative and combined im-portance of dropout reasons. Three items – the rocks – were statistically more important: “I prior-itised schoolwork and had no time left to take part in sport”; and “I found other things that I en-joyed doing more than sport”; and “I found it stressful when I did not perform/play as well as I expected”. On average, however, these rocks were rated as “moderately important”, along with 18 reasons (the pebbles) rated as “slightly important to moderately important”, and the remain-ing 26 reasons (the sand) rated as “slightly important to not at all important”. These findings suggest that sport dropout is not caused by a single reason but is underpinned by a dynamic tricky mix of reasons – a series of rocks, pebbles and sand unique to each young person.