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ABSTRACTDespite the growing body of literature in the field of athletes’ self-compassion over the past decade, studies with a focus specifically on men athletes are limited. In addition, although previous research suggests that differential representations of masculinities may impact men’s self-compassion uniquely, the link between men athletes’ self-compassion and masculinities is understudied. With masculinity-based negative evaluations being the source of many difficult experiences for men athletes, perhaps self-compassion can mitigate the impact of men’s challenges in sport. Thus, our research purpose was to explore men athletes’ lived experiences of self-compassion through the lens of masculinity. We recruited 16 men athletes (Mage = 21.4 years; SD = 3.7) to participate in two semi-structured interviews with a reflexive photography task between interviews. The results of our study are framed within two overlying categories (i.e., masculinity, self-compassion), with multiple themes in each category. Our findings suggest that the men athletes in our study generally represent a version of masculinity that is accepting of non-traditional representations of masculinity (e.g. homosexuality), and they were open and willing to accept and embrace self-compassion, particularly if it helps them improve their sport performance. We conclude that self-compassion can be a useful resource for men athletes, and future research should focus on developing and evaluating the effectiveness of a self-compassion intervention, with considerations given to the potential role of masculinity in men’s difficult sport experiences, tailored specifically for men athletes.

ABSTRACTSport participation can be a highly rewarding experience for young women. However, it can also involve unpleasant experiences such as failing to meet performance goals and threats to body image, which may detrimentally impact athletes’ well-being. Body image is salient for women in sport and can also be a source of suffering/challenge. Treating oneself with compassion has been suggested as a resource to buffer against negative outcomes of failure and inadequacy in sport. Bodyself-compassion may be especially relevant in sport as it consists of a kind and non-judgmental attitude towards the body despite perceived physical imperfections. The purpose of this study was to explore the role of body self-compassion in adolescent women athletes’ performance perceptions and emotional well-being. Seven women athletes (14–17 years old) participated in two, one-on-one semi-structured interviews and a journaling activity. Interviews and journal data were analyzed using a holistic approach to thematic analysis. Four themes were developed that capture the athletes’ perceived role of body self-compassion: (a) Compassion for and confidence in my body, (b) “Their’ thoughts and my body, (c) I will play to my potential, and (d) My strength is in my emotions. The women athletes explained that body self-compassion allows them to respect and treat their bodies with kindness; thus, positive emotions such as satisfaction with the body were strengthened and an adaptive focus placed on performance. These findings are consistent with the conceptualization of self-compassion and body self-compassion and suggest that being body self-compassionate may regulate emotions and sport performance perceptions.

AbstractSport participation can foster a wide range of positive psychosocial outcomes for women, including feeling empowered and self-sufficient, as well as gaining confidence, determination and self-respect. These well-documented potential benefits stem from research with non-Indigenous athletes, yet there is little published research to support an in-depth understanding of Indigenous women’s unique sport experiences. Such understandings are necessary for meaningful sport programme implementation, health optimisation and sport policy development. The purpose of this study was to explore the phenomenon of flourishing in sport for Indigenous women athletes. Two Indigenous community sport advisors were instrumentally involved throughout the study. Sixteen Indigenous women athletes (Mage = 21.5 years; 10 First Nations, 6 Métis) from urban, rural and remote communities in a mid-Western Canadian province participated in sharing circles and symbol-based reflection to share their meanings and experiences of flourishing in sport. A four-step phenomenological structural analysis was used to analyse transcribed data. Four essential components and one facilitating component emerged as the general structure of flourishing in sport: (1) Multidimensional Community Support (having support from and for one’s family, home and sporting community); (2) Personal Accomplishments (setting and attaining individually tailored goals); (3) Persistent Growth (constant self-betterment); (4) Wholistic Athletic Excellence (excelling as a whole; physically, intellectually, spiritually and emotionally); and, (5) Humble Recognition (being acknowledged; a facilitating component). Nurturing Indigenous women athletes’ flourishing in sport requires athlete-specific attention and collaborative community engagement.

AbstractAlthough physical activity is valued in Aboriginal communities, an in depth understanding of the physical activity experiences among urban Aboriginal people in Canada is absent from the literature. The primary purpose of this study was to explore First Nations students’ physical activity experiences on a university campus. A secondary purpose was to identify ways to create and promote positive physical activity experiences for First Nations university students. Five First Nations students (ages = 18–28 years) engaged in a talking circle and one-on-one interviews. Three main themes emerged from the students’ narratives: (1) we are similar but unique, (2) a longing for tradition, and (3) extending a personal connection with physical activity. The participants’ stories included challenges with physical activity on campus, some of which were unique to the First Nations student experience (e.g. lack of traditional activities) and grew increasingly complex as their narratives unfolded (e.g. experiencing racism). The participants shared strategies they use to deal with challenges related to physical activity, including self-talk, incorporating significant others, and attempting to integrate traditional beliefs and practices. Changes made at the institutional-level were also considered as ways to manage personally difficult physical activity experiences. Further research and collaborative approaches are needed to: (1) develop university initiatives that generate more physical activity options as well as enhance the quality of physical activity for Aboriginal students, and (2) explore culturally-relevant resources that might be useful for Aboriginal students dealing with difficult physical activity experiences.