1. Swedish swimmers’ perception of parental involvement
Anastasios Rodis
Lund University, Sweden
Poster presentation supported by Aspetar Orthopedic and sports medicine hospital, Doha, Qatar
Parents play a critical role in children’s sport involvement and throughout their sporting lives. Parental
level of involvement can influence positively or negatively their children sport participation. Therefore,
it is essential to explore the young swimming athletes’ satisfaction in relation to parental level of
involvement in their sport. The aim of this study was to investigate the style and the influence of
perceived parental involvement on enjoyment and competitive anxiety in young Swedish swimmers.
Introduction
Perceived parental involvement using the Parental Involvement in Sport Questionnaire, enjoyment (a
questionnaire with 3 items that assess enjoyment in swimming) and competitive anxiety, SAS-2 were
assessed in 104 (61 female & male 43) Swedish swimmers, aged 9-18 years old (Mean age 13.7, SD
2.5). All participants were members of a swimming club at various competitive levels, spending an
average of 10.5 months training for swimming per year.
Methods
Results
The athletes were satisfied with their parents’ directive behavior and praise/understanding, but were
slightly dissatisfied with their parents’ level of active involvement and pressure. The negative
discrepancy scores in active involvement and pressure revealed that athletes desire slightly more active
involvement and pressure from their parents. (figure 1). A positive correlation was also found between
perceived parental pressure and directive behavior. But, no correlations were found between athletes’
perceived parental involvement and enjoyment or competitive anxiety.
The young swimmers showed that they enjoyed their sport and were free of competitive anxiety in
relation to their parents’ involvement. Enjoyment can be decline when parents over-involved to their
kids sport participation and young athletes have reported over-involved parents as a source of stress
and most importantly, on contributing to kids burning out or dropping out of sport. On the whole,
young Swedish swimmers were satisfied with their parents’ level of involvement in their sports,
indicating the moderate and caring nature of Swedish parents in relation to the sport of swimming.
Discussion
• Young Swedish swimmers are satisfied with their parent’s level of involvement in their sports,
indicating the moderate style of Swedish parents involvement.
• The athletes were satisfied with their parents’ directive behavior and praise/understanding.
• The negative discrepancy scores in active involvement and pressure revealed that athletes
desire slightly more active involvement and pressure from their parents.
• Positive correlation was found between directive behavior and pressure.
• No correlation was found between perceived parental involvement and competitive anxiety.
** Significantly different at the p = .01 level
Figure 1: Athletes satisfaction in relation to perceived and desired level of parental
involvement based on discrepancy scores
Conclusions
.04
-.32**
.04
-.40**