Collective conceptualization of parental support of dual career athletes: The EMPATIA framework

Abstract

BackgroundThisstudyaimedtouseaconceptmappingmethodologytodevelopaEuropeanframeworkoftheneedsofparents/guardians(P/G)forsupportingathletescombiningsportandeduca-tion(dualcareer,DC).MethodsBymeansofaconceptmappingmethodology,337French,Irish,Italian,Portuguese,andSlovenianparentssortedandrated80potentialstatementsassociatedtoparentingDCathletes.ResultsFivedistinctclustersemerged:1.P/G’roles,needsandawarenesstosupportathletes,including22statements(mean:3.7;range:3.2–4.2pt);2.Requirementsforeffectiveplan-ningofDCpathway,including19statements(mean:3.7;range:3.2–4.5pt);3.Educationalopportunity,including13statements(mean:3.5;range:3.1–4.0pt);4.PolicyandprovisionforDC,including19statements(mean:3.7;range:3.1–4.2pt);and5.Athletes’lifestyle&self-management,including7statements(mean:4.0;range:3.5–4.5pt).Estimatesofeffectsize(Partialeta-squared)werecalculatedforANOVAstoassessthedegreeofvariabilityon the statement importance ranking as the dependent variable accounted for by the demographic data. The concept mapping showed goodvalidity (stress value: 0.11) and high reliability (rSHT: 0.99, rSHM: 0.98; rRR:0.98). One-third of the statements indicated differences (p<0.05) in relation to the P/Gs’ gender and the athletes’ education level, competition level andsport typology. Conclusion In synthesizing the opinions, experience and needs of P/Gs of DC athletes the present framework provided sound theoretical underpinnings to inform the development of an online educational programme for empowering parenting DC athletes (https://edu.empatiasport. eu/eng/), as well as be a foundation for future Pan-European DC research on how these statements interact with each other, in different European contexts.