Abstract
The concept of psychological safety (PS) comes from the field of organisational psychology and describes work environments where employees can share ideas without fear of being bullied or unfairly criticised. Recently, sport psychology researchers have begun exploring PS in elite sporting environments, as it is suggested this could have major impacts on the mental health of athletes. However, research on PS in elite sporting environments has not extended to other members of sporting organisations, beyond players and coaches. Hence, the current study sought to identify factors that make for a psychologically safe environment in elite sport, focussing on the experiences of staff members from various roles in one elite netball club. Data collection for this project is on-going. So far, five participants from different positions at an elite netball club – including coaching and performance staff, players, and athlete support personnel – have taken part in semi-structured interviews lasting between 30-60 minutes. Reflexive thematic analysis has been conducted and initial themes have been developed to describe the features of a safe environments in elite sport, features of unsafe environments, and external influences on psychologically safety. Preliminary findings emphasise the importance of being treated as a person first and employee second, maintaining communication and alignment between different organisational areas, and the influence of online criticism and the necessity of being exposed to this criticism. Findings from this study may inform practices for establishing PS in elite sporting clubs which, in turn, will support the mental health of club employees.
Presenters
James ClarkLecturer, Psychology, University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia
Details
Presentation Type
Theme
KEYWORDS
Psychological Safety, Netball, Mental Health
