Online Program for Coaching Girls: Coaching HER

University of Minnesota (UMN)

Status: Completed

Conditions: Intervention; Waitlist Control

Treatments: Behavioral: Coaching HER

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other; Industry

Identifiers

NCT05500781

STUDY00015642

Details and patient eligibility

About

Despite the numerous physical and psychological benefits of taking part in sport, studies consistently show that only 15% of adolescent girls globally meet the recommended daily exercise guidelines (Guthold et al., 2018). The team climate, created by coaches, has been identified as a critical factor in both girls' participation in, and enjoyment of, sport and movement (CITE). Research indicates that girls disengage from sport because of body image concerns, uncomfortable and objectifying uniforms, appearance-related teasing from peers and coaches, untrained coaches, and negative team cultures (Murray et al., 2021; Vani et al., 2021).

help coaching girls books as another form of media that produces "commonsense proof" of girls' sport inferiority, essentializes gender differences, reifies the gender binary (Kane, 1995), and marginalizes the sport participation of girls.

The beliefs, values and expectations of significant adults can positively or negatively influence self-perceptions, motivation, experiences, and behaviors of children (Fredricks & Eccles, 2005; Brustad et al., 2001) and also directly influence the coaching behaviors of adults (Cassidy et al., 2005).

The 'coaching girls' books examined for this study were formulaic products written from a perspective of difference, "despite extensive evidence from meta-analysis research of gender differences which supports the gender similarity hypothesis" (Hyde, 2005, p.590).

ambivalent and primarily non-research based messages contained within the books trivialize, misrepresent, distort, and marginalize girls' emotions, thoughts, relationships, skills and behaviors in sport contexts (Birrell & Theberge, 1994), while upholding coaching boys as normative praxis. Coaching girls books appear to "help" coaches of female athletes, while simultaneously reifying gender stereotypes that undermine female empowerment that can occur in and through sports.

Praxis based on gendered beliefs of inherent difference is dangerous as it can undermine male-female relationships as well as beliefs of equality, and deprive all children of the opportunity to develop their full human potential (Barnett & Rivers, 2004). Coaches must be aware that coaching is a gendered practice in which beliefs and values are enacted, sometimes in ways that limit the experiences of their athletes.

On the other hand, sport participation can improve girls' self perceptions and lead to accrual of health and development assets if the coach and adults in the context are aware of the gendered nature of sport, and strive to eliminate deleterious effects (LaVoi, 2018).

This study will test an educational program for coaches aimed at reducing gender essentialist beliefs and gender stereotypes of coaches, to improve the sport experience for girls.

Enrollment: 55 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Current Coaches of adolescent girls
• English speaking
• U.S. resident

Exclusion criteria

• Participants under 18 years of age
• Coaches outside of the US
• Coaches who only coach adult women or men/boys

Trial design

Primary purpose: Prevention

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Triple Blind

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55 participants in 2 patient groups

Coaching HER

Experimental group

Description:

Participants in the interventional condition will take part in an online program consisting of 6 modules over 2 weeks

Treatment:

Behavioral: Coaching HER

Waitlist Control

No Intervention group

Description:

Participants will not be explicitly told their study condition, although they will be made aware of the assessment time points and whether they receive the intervention between T1 and T2 (intervention) or after T2 (waitlist control). Following completion of post-intervention assessments (T2), the control condition will participate in the intervention; but, they will not be monitored or assessed.