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Abstract Purpose To use narrative inquiry to study disordered eating meanings and experiences of elite female athletes struggle and recovery as socially constructed within stories. Published autobiographies of two high profile elite athletes were explored as socio-cultural sites of analysis to expand understanding of disordered eating struggle and recovery over time. Design A thematic narrative analysis grounded in social constructionist narrative inquiry was used to identify broad cultural narratives and turning points (i.e., psycho-social life events linked to struggle/insight) within the narratives, in two elite female swimmers' autobiographies. Findings Two cultural narratives were identified: performance narrative and struggle and personal growth narrative. These narratives framed key turning points within the stories -- body and relationship turning points (linked to struggle) and emotional and body acceptance turning points (linked to recovery). Conclusions These findings build upon previous narrative and autobiographical research in sport psychology which shows the value in studying elite athletes' stories as theoretical, methodological and pedagogical resources to learn more about athlete health. The present study expanded understanding of gendered disordered eating meanings of struggle and recovery within elite swimming culture as nuanced personal and cultural processes across two athletes' careers. Such work further opens up ways to use autobiographies as pedagogical resources to harness relational narratives to facilitate female athlete's recovery. Highlights • Understandings of disordered eating struggle and recovery for elite female athletes are extended. • Disordered eating meanings were constructed in performance and personal growth narratives. • Body related and relationship narrative turning points add to struggle and constrain recovery. • Emotional and body acceptance turning points open up recovery as a fluid process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives Qualitative research on physically active mothers has shown that recreational sport allows for personal, social and cultural barriers to be renegotiated in ways that facilitate well-being and sport participation. The purpose of this study was to extend this understanding by examining competitive recreational athlete mothers' negotiation of sport training and competition in relation to their identities. Design A qualitative approach grounded in social constructionism and discursive psychology was used to theorize athlete mother identities as constructed within nuanced cultural discourses, with multiple meanings and effects (e.g., psychological, social, behavioural) on women's psychological, training and parental experiences. Method An interpretive thematic analysis (TA) was conducted on in-depth interviews with 7 North American recreational athlete mothers, who train to compete in national and/or international sport competitions. Results A central theme constructed multiple meanings of motherhood and athletic experiences: juggling motherhood and sport . The meanings of motherhood and sport were multiple and fluid depending on three sub-themes, which were used as strategies to negotiate identities as athletes and mothers: 1. adjustment of training and competition; 2. support as multifaceted and negotiated; and 3. reciprocity of motherhood and sport. These themes highlight the nuanced ways in which juggling motherhood and sport are negotiated in relation to socially constructed identities, in constraining and emancipative ways. Conclusions This study extends research on the social construction of cultural identities in sport psychology and work on athlete mother identities into competitive recreational athletics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives Qualitative research on physically active mothers has shown that recreational sport may allow women to resist good mother ideals that often constrain exercise. The purpose of this study was to extend this understanding in a socio-cultural context by examining how recreational athlete mother identities were constructed within one form of new media - blogging. Design A qualitative approach grounded in discursive psychology was used to theorize athlete mother identities as subject positions constructed within particular discourses circulated within a blog. Method Critical discourse analysis of 30 stories and 177 reader comments from the North American online running community Another Mother Runner , was conducted. Visual data analysis of 102 images accompanying stories also contextualized the textual meanings of discourses and subject positions. Results Two primary discourses were identified: discourse of transformation and empowerment and a discourse of disruption and resolution . Subject positions constructed within these two intersecting discourses were role mother/advocate and resilient mother runner . Conclusions This study extends discursive psychology literature in sport and exercise psychology as well as media work on athlete mother identities within sport psychology into the realm of the internet and identity construction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although research on elite sport and motherhood is growing, more research is needed to understand the narratives that shape their identities and lives. We sought to build on sport psychology research centralizing the media as naturalistic data resources to explore elite athlete mother identity in cultural context. The specific aim was to explore how elite athlete identities are portrayed during pregnancy on Instagram. Two high profile elite figure skating expectant mothers' (i.e., Meagan Duhamel and Aljona Savchenko) Instagram posts were the focus of a dialogical narrative analysis (DNA) grounded in relativist narrative inquiry. Two research questions were explored: 1. how do expectant athlete mothers portray themselves in big and small stories, and 2. what are the implications (e.g., psychosocial, behavioural) of identity meanings portrayed in digital stories? DNA of 122 posts (n = 82 for Duhamel, n = 40 for Savchenko) identified a key big story: (re)configuring ideal pregnancy. Four small stories fed into fluid meanings of 'ideal pregnancy' and ways of 'doing pregnancy' linked to self-identity portrayals: documenting the growing life, baby bumps on display, Olympic dreams/journeys and living the good life through leisure. Consumerism was shown to thread small stories. These findings show contradictions of motherhood meanings and body ideals (e.g., feminine, athletic) vs realities (e.g., tired, sore), linked to actions (e.g., skating during pregnancy, promoting products or athlete brand), in good mother and biomedical narratives. A big and small story approach grounded in narrative inquiry holds value to learn more about the digital landscape's role in shaping athlete expectant mother self-identities. Future research exploring social media (e.g., Twitter, Facebook) may expand intertextual understanding of athlete mothers' identities and lives. • Understandings of elite athletes and pregnancy is extended studying digital stories. • A central 'big story' of ideal pregnancy linked to doing pregnancy is identified. • Three small stories feed into, and reconfigure, 'ideal pregnancy' meanings. • Insight into identity meanings of pregnancy, motherhood and sport is gained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is contentious understanding of the role of sport in adult recreational drug and alcohol addiction recovery. This study explored athlete autobiographies as cultural sites of analysis in relation to the role that one sport (i.e., ultrarunning) plays in addiction recovery capital pathways. Working at the intersection of an autobiographical approach grounded in relativist narrative inquiry, a social constructionist narrative thematic analysis was conducted of two autobiographies--Catra Corbett and Carlie Engle—about addiction recovery through ultrarunning (i.e., distances of 43 km or more). The narratives used to construct life transformation and recovery capital in relation to ultrarunning were centralized in the analysis using Frank's (2013) work on illness narratives and the body. Two narrative themes threaded athletes' addiction recovery journeys: chaos narrative and quest narrative. Two sub-themes related to fluid identity transformation intertwined with ultrarunning were identified within these narratives: 1. 'addict-runner' (chaos) and 2. 'addict runner to ultra-runner' (quest). Nuanced meanings of suffering were connected to identity transformation and running and two forms of addiction recovery capital: human (e.g., psychological adjustment, life perspective) and social (e.g., family connection, community). The research findings provide insight into the role of sport in psychosocial aspects of addiction recovery using an autobiographical approach grounded in narrative theory. This study also extends work in sport psychology focusing on autobiographies as research and pedagogical resources to learn more about athlete mental health. • Understandings of addiction recovery for athletes are extended. • Chaos and quest narratives threaded athletes' addiction recovery journeys. • Identity transformation through running linked to human and social recovery. • Insight into psychosocial aspects of addiction recovery and sport are gained studying autobiographies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]