Sporting Activities for Individuals Who Experienced Trauma During Their Youth: A Meta-Study

Barriers and enablers in doping, anti-doping, and clean sport: A qualitative meta-synthesis informed by the theoretical domains framework and COM-B model

To protect the integrity of sport, and the health of athletes, global anti-doping programmes seek to prevent doping, and elicit anti-doping and clean sport behaviours, through education, deterrence, detection, enforcement, and rules. To guide programme development, this meta-synthesis of qualitative research applied a behavioural science framework to identify barriers and enablers to doping, anti-doping, and clean sport. A systematic search of electronic databases up to May 2022, followed by critical appraisal, resulted in 73 included articles. Fifty-two articles reported the athlete perspective, thirteen included athletes, athlete support personnel (ASP), and other experts, and eight focused on ASP only. Rigorous methods of thematic synthesis were drawn upon to construct analytical themes in line with the theoretical domains framework (TDF) and the capability, opportunity, and motivation model of behaviour (COM-B). A wide range of barriers and enablers were identified which influenced capability, opportunity, and motivation to participate in a clean sport environment. The weight of evidence pointed to limitations in the current anti-doping education system in providing athletes and ASP with the knowledge and skills to protect against doping, as well as the significant influence of social and cultural norms in shaping doping and clean sport behaviours through a shared social identity, and risky contexts leading to moments of vulnerability to doping. We identified a need for anti-doping programmes to move beyond the current focus on athlete capability, and address the opportunity and motivation components of clean sport behaviours through a targeted and tailored focus on education, training, persuasion, modelling and environmental restructuring interventions.

Does screening or routine enquiry for adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) meet criteria for a screening programme? A rapid evidence summary

BACKGROUND

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are traumatic events in childhood that can have impacts throughout life. It has been suggested that ACEs should be 'screened' for, or routinely enquired about, in childhood or adulthood. The aim of this work is to review evidence for this against the United Kingdom National Screening Committee (UKNSC) programme criteria.

METHODS

A rapid review of evidence on ACEs screening was conducted using the approach of the UKNSC.

RESULTS

Good quality evidence was identified from meta-analyses for associations between ACEs and a wide range of adverse outcomes. There was no consistent evidence on the most suitable screening tool, setting of administration, and time or frequency of use. Routine enquiry among adults was feasible and acceptable to service users and professionals in various settings. A wide range of potentially effective interventions was identified. Limited evidence was available on the potential for screening or routine enquiry to reduce morbidity and mortality or possible harms of screening.

CONCLUSIONS

Based on the application of available evidence to UKNSC screening criteria, there is currently insufficient evidence to recommend the implementation of a screening programme for ACEs. Further research is needed to determine whether routine enquiry can improve morbidity, mortality, health and wellbeing.

Addressing Trauma in Adaptive Physical Activity: A Call to Reflection and Action

Trauma is pervasive, embodied, and can be perpetrated or perpetuated by researchers, educators, and practitioners, including those within adaptive physical activity (APA). In this article, we highlight the need to address trauma within APA as a matter of access and justice. We share various conceptualizations of trauma from psychiatric, embodied, anti-pathologizing, and sociopolitical perspectives. Trauma-informed practice is introduced as a framework for creating safer, more inclusive programs and services, so we can recognize the impacts of trauma and affirm those who experience it. As the first step to a multistep trauma-informed process, our aim is to raise awareness of trauma and introduce resources for enacting trauma-informed practice. We also pose difficult questions about how we, as "helping" practitioners, researchers, and educators may be perpetuating or perpetrating harm and trauma, in particular sanism, within our profession. Ultimately, we invite readers to join us in reflection and action toward anti-pathologizing trauma-informed APA.

Behaviours that prompt primary school teachers to adopt and implement physically active learning: a meta synthesis of qualitative evidence

BACKGROUND

Physically active learning (PAL) - integration of movement within delivery of academic content - is a core component of many whole-of-school physical activity approaches. Yet, PAL intervention methods and strategies vary and frequently are not sustained beyond formal programmes. To improve PAL training, a more comprehensive understanding of the behavioural and psychological processes that influence teachers' adoption and implementation of PAL is required. To address this, we conducted a meta-synthesis to synthesise key stakeholders' knowledge of facilitators and barriers to teachers' implementing PAL in schools to improve teacher-focussed PAL interventions in primary (elementary) schools.

METHODOLOGY

We conducted a meta-synthesis using a five-stage thematic synthesis approach to; develop a research purpose and aim, identify relevant articles, appraise studies for quality, develop descriptive themes and interpret and synthesise the literature. In the final stage, 14 domains from the Theoretical Domain Framework (TDF) were then aligned to the final analytical themes and subthemes.

RESULTS

We identified seven themes and 31 sub-themes from 25 eligible papers. Four themes summarised teacher-level factors: PAL benefits, teachers' beliefs about own capabilities, PAL teacher training, PAL delivery. One theme encompassed teacher and school-level factors: resources. Two themes reflected school and external factors that influence teachers' PAL behaviour: whole-school approach, external factors. Ten (of 14) TDF domains aligned with main themes and sub-themes: Knowledge, Skills, Social/Professional Role and Identity, Beliefs about Capabilities, Beliefs about Consequences, Reinforcement, Goals, Environmental Context and Resources, Social influences and Emotion.

CONCLUSIONS

Our synthesis illustrates the inherent complexity required to change and sustain teachers' PAL behaviours. Initially, teachers must receive the training, resources and support to develop the capability to implement and adapt PAL. The PAL training programme should progress as teachers' build their experience and capability; content should be 'refreshed' and become more challenging over time. Subsequently, it is imperative to engage all levels of the school community for PAL to be fully integrated into a broader school system. Adequate resources, strong leadership and governance, an engaged activated community and political will are necessary to achieve this, and may not currently exist in most schools.

Integrating a Sport-Based Trauma-Sensitive Program in a National Youth-Serving Organization

There is a pressing need to equip youth-serving community organizations to respond to the unique needs of trauma-exposed children. Early prevention measures can be an effective means of redirecting children to self-regulatory healing, while facilitating their transition toward strength-based thriving. Sport can offer a powerful opportunity to reach these children; however there remains little information on how to effectively develop, deliver, evaluate, and sustain trauma-sensitive sport programs in a community context. The purpose of this paper is to outline a case study of integrating sport-based trauma-sensitive practices with BGC Canada's national Bounce Back League program. An interdisciplinary partnership of academic, community, and practice experts used a community-based participatory action research approach, paired with a knowledge translational approach, to guide the process of program development. Mixed methods (e.g., surveys, logbooks, interviews, focus groups, online communications) were used to generate ongoing insights of staff's training experiences, successes and challenges of program implementation, and potential impact of program on club members. Several stages of program development are described, including: (a) collaboratively planning the program; (b) piloting the program to three clubs; (c) adapting the program using pilot insights; (d) expanding the adapted program to ten clubs; and (e) creating opportunities to maintain, sustain, and scale-out practices throughout grant duration and beyond. Lessons learned regarding the leadership team's experiences in terms of developing, adapting, and integrating trauma-sensitive practices in this community context are shared.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10560-021-00776-7.

Belonging through sport participation for young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities: A scoping review

BACKGROUND

Research suggests that sport facilitates belonging for diverse athletes. This scoping review characterizes literature on sport participation and belonging for young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A search of five databases identified 17,497 articles. Selected articles (N = 39) underwent data extraction and analysis guided by a theoretical framework of belonging, outlining four processes through which belonging is experienced by individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

RESULTS

Articles originated from developed countries and in the context of Special Olympics (N = 17). Studies commonly used qualitative interviews with proxy respondents. While all studies described at least one belonging process, only 11 studies applied the term "belonging," and no study defined the construct.

CONCLUSION

Belonging is not well-conceptualized in sports literature for athletes with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Understanding belonging through sport participation for this population may inform sport-based policies and programming.