Adaptation to Athletic Retirement and Perceptions About Aging: A Qualitative Study of Retired Olympic Athletes

Author(s):  
Michelle Pannor Silver

Self-perceptions about aging have implications for health and well-being; however, less is known about how these perceptions influence adaptation to major life transitions. The goal of this study was to examine how high-performance athletes’ perceptions about aging influenced their adaptation to athletic retirement. In-depth interviews conducted with 24 retired Olympic athletes using thematic analysis yielded three key themes: (a) perceptions about aging influenced participants’ postretirement exercise habits, (b) perceptions about aging motivated participants to engage in civic activities, and (c) participants who lacked formative perceptions about aging associated their athletic retirement with their own lost sense of purpose. These findings provide evidence that perceptions about aging influence athletes’ adaptation to retirement by directing their subsequent engagement in postretirement activities. Furthermore, this research highlights theoretical implications for the literature regarding embodied processes, retirement transitions, role models, and adaptation to new physical states.

1994 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 404-415 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth Campbell ◽  
Graham Jones

This paper considered (a) the psychological well-being of wheelchair sport participants and wheelchair sport nonparticipants, and (b) the influence of competitive level on the psychological well-being of wheelchair sport participants. Psychological well-being was evaluated by considering mood, trait anxiety, self-esteem, mastery, and individual self-perceptions of health and well-being. Wheelchair sport participants exhibited an iceberg profile of positive well-being with lower tension, depression, anger, and confusion and higher vigor than the sport nonparticipant group. The sport participant group also showed significantly greater levels of mastery and more positive perceptions of their health and well-being than the sport nonparticipant group. International athletes had (a) higher levels of vigor than the national and recreational groups; (b) lower levels of anxiety than the regional and recreational groups; (c) higher levels of self-esteem than the national, regional, and recreational groups; (d) higher levels of mastery than the regional and recreational groups; and (e) more positive perceptions of their well-being than the national, regional, and recreational groups.


2017 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
pp. 909-918 ◽  
Author(s):  
Deanna Kerrigan ◽  
Victoria Chau ◽  
Melissa King ◽  
Emily Holman ◽  
Alain Joffe ◽  
...  

Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) has been shown to improve health outcomes across populations. We explored the feasibility, acceptability, and initial effects of a pilot MBSR program at a highly-ranked university in the United States. We conducted 23 in-depth interviews with 13 students. Interviews explored stressors and coping mechanisms, experiences with MBSR, and its reported impact and potential future use. Interviews were analyzed using thematic content and narrative analyses. Results indicated that students are exposed to a very high level of constant stress related to the sheer amount of work and activities that they have and the pervasive surrounding university culture of perfectionism. MBSR offered an opportunity to step back and gain perspective on issues of balance and priorities and provided concrete techniques to counter the effects of stressors. We conclude that MBSR and mindfulness programs may contribute to more supportive university learning environments and greater health and well-being among students.


2016 ◽  
Vol 53 (4) ◽  
pp. 424-450 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leanne Norman ◽  
Alexandra Rankin-Wright

In shifting our gaze to the sociological impact of being in the minority, the purpose of this study was to substantiate a model of gendered social well-being to appraise women coaches’ circumstances, experiences and challenges as embedded within the social structures and relations of their profession. This is drawn on in-depth interviews with a sample of head women coaches within the UK. The findings demonstrate that personal lives, relationships, social and family commitments were sidelined by many of the participants in order to meet the expectations of being a (woman) coach. We locate these experiences in the organisational practices of high performance sport which hinder women coaches from having meaningful control over their lives. The complexities of identity are also revealed through the interplay of gender with (dis)ability, age and whiteness as evidence of hegemonic femininity within the coaching profession. Consequently, for many women, coaching is experienced as a ‘developmental dead-end’.


1986 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 27-38 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mary Evans Melick ◽  
James N. Logue

Relatively little attention has been paid to the post-disaster health status and well-being of older persons. The data discussed in this article were gathered through use of a retrospective cohort survey five years following a major flood in the Wyoming Valley of Pennsylvania. The subsample of women sixty-five years and older used in this analysis is composed of 122 female victims and forty-five controls from the same communities. The instruments used to measure mental status included Langner's 22-Item Scale, Zung's Self-rating Depression Scale, and a modified Self-Report Symptom Inventory (SCL-90). Additional items related to self-perceptions of health status, to influence of the flood on health and well-being, and to other issues. Significant differences occurred in self-perceptions, including state of mind after the flood ( p < .001), distress during recovery ( p < .001), quality of life after the flood ( p < .001), and frequency of thinking about the flood matters ( p < .025). Use of the instruments designed to assess mental status did not indicate greater levels of anxiety or depression in elderly victims as compared to non-victims.


2015 ◽  
Vol 29 (2) ◽  
pp. 216-234 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emma M. Marshall ◽  
Jeffry A. Simpson ◽  
W. Steven Rholes

This study adopted a person (actor) by partner perspective to examine how actor personality traits, partner personality traits, and specific actor by partner personality trait interactions predict actor's depressive symptoms across the first 2 years of the transition to parenthood. Data were collected from a large sample of new parents (both partners in each couple) 6 weeks before the birth of their first child, and then at 6, 12, 18, and 24 months postpartum. The results revealed that higher actor neuroticism and lower partner agreeableness predicted higher levels of depressive symptoms in actors. Moreover, the specific combination of high actor neuroticism and low partner agreeableness was a particularly problematic combination, which was intensified when prepartum dysfunctional problem–solving communication and aggression existed in the relationship. These results demonstrate the importance of considering certain actor by partner disposition pairings to better understand actors’ emotional well–being during major life transitions. Copyright © 2015 European Association of Personality Psychology


2018 ◽  
Vol 14 ◽  
pp. 174550571875638 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sharon Keesing ◽  
Lorna Rosenwax ◽  
Beverley McNamara

Early survivorship is a time of critical transition for women survivors of breast cancer as they attempt to resume functional activities and important life roles. This study aimed to explore the challenges of women and their partners as they attempted to resume activities and roles, identify unmet needs and make recommendations regarding a suitable framework to support women and partners to recommence valued activities and important roles during early survivorship. Qualitative methods utilising in-depth interviews of women (n = 18) and their partners (n = 8), and two focus groups (n = 10) were completed in Perth, Western Australia, between June 2014 and April 2015. These methods were used to facilitate women and partners’ views regarding the resumption of previously meaningful activities and important life roles during early survivorship. Questions addressed their individual and shared experiences concerning self-care, leisure, social and productive activities and important roles. Thematic analysis was employed to determine themes. Women and partners reported significant impact on their ability to engage in valued activities, resulting in changes to participation in meaningful roles. Three themes were determined: (1) ambiguity regarding survivorship prevents resumption of activities and previous roles, (2) breast cancer continues to impact a couples’ relationship during survivorship, and (3) support is needed to assist women and partners to resume activities and important roles. This research provides evidence suggesting that the ongoing symptoms of breast cancer treatment continue to impact many women and their partners, as they attempt to resume functional activities and important life roles during early survivorship. Disruption to these valued activities and roles may influence women and their partner’s health and well-being during early survivorship and extend beyond this period. Rehabilitation following cessation of treatment could be offered as required to facilitate access to multi-disciplinary services and supports for both individuals and couples.


2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 444-444
Author(s):  
Frank Oswald ◽  
Steven Schmidt ◽  
Malcolm Cutchin

Abstract Housing has gained increased relevance as a central factor for health and well-being. Many countries have implemented ageing in place policies, which provide services focused on improving the physical environment. Housing needs change as people grow older and experience different transitions across their life courses. Studies have demonstrated relationships between housing and health and well-being in later life on the one hand and life transitions and health and well-being in later life on the other hand. However, research on life transitions in combination with perceived housing in relation to indicators of good ageing is virtually nonexistent. This symposiums aims to address the dynamic relationship between perceived housing and life transitions and how they impact health, well-being, functioning, and social/neighborhood participation as people age by data from a mixed-method approach in Sweden and Germany. The first contribution by Slaug and colleagues introduces changes in how older adults perceive their housing following the life transition of a fall at home. Second, Eriksson and colleagues present qualitative results on the experience of relationships between perceived housing, several life transitions and well-being among community-dwelling Swedish older adults. Third, Wanka and colleagues present partially different results from a comparable study in German on the same topic but emphasizing the experience of interrelationships between different life course transitions. Fourth, Granbom and colleagues explore how low-income older adults in Sweden reason about their current housing situation and a future life transition of relocation. Finally, Malcolm P. Cutchin will serve as the session’s discussant.


2020 ◽  
pp. 6565-6574
Author(s):  
Cathy Speed

Physical activity through sport can promote health and well-being but can result in injury, illness, or both. Understanding the patient, their ideas, expectations, and concerns, their sporting goals, sporting level, psychology, and past history is essential to ensuring adherence to any management programme. The scope of sport and exercise medicine includes (1) injuries, including those impacting bone health; (2) illness in and caused by sport, ranging from sudden cardiac death to overtraining syndromes and exertional heat illnesses; (3) drugs in sport and doping—all high-performance athletes and associated staff need to be educated about the World Anti-Doping Association code, the dangers of doping, and testing protocols; and (4) exercise as medicine, which is an important part of most disease prevention and management strategies.


2020 ◽  
Vol 49 (1) ◽  
pp. 59-72
Author(s):  
Nomatter Sande

Abstract The role of religion in ecological discourse has gained ground in the quest to improve people’s lives in society. Herbal medicine is known to treat complex diseases. However, there are complexities in protecting the environment since herbal medicine entails having an in-depth understanding of traditional knowledge systems, beliefs, and practices. Pentecostal churches in Zimbabwe such as the Apostolic Faith Mission (AFM) have remained impervious to the widespread campaign promoting the use of herbs as an effective healing treatment. Divine healing is central to the AFM, and thus they view traditional herbal medicines as originating from evil spirits, despite scriptures referring to herbs as both food and medicine. Accordingly, developing a theology of ‘greening faith’ in the AFM will foster a constructive attitude toward the use of traditional herbal medicines. This article examines the position of the AFM on traditional herbal medicine and utilises ecotheology as its theoretical framework together with data gathered through in-depth interviews. The article concludes that the AFM should consciously use faith to protect the environment and promote the health and well-being of its believers.


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