ECSS Paris 2023: CP-SH03
Professional hockey coaches operate in environments defined by intense performance pressures, uncertainty, and persistent expectations of success. Such contexts are likely to shape not only coaching practices but also the expression, organization, and functioning of personality traits. Despite growing interest in psychological characteristics within high-performance sport, research has predominantly focused on desirable attributes, offering limited insight into the broader configuration of personality, including traits that may be perceived as less normative, among professional coaches. This study examined the personality profiles of hockey coaches working in professional sport settings and explored how these traits were reflected in their lived professional experiences. Adopting a multidimensional perspective, the research considered both functional traits and dysfunctional tendencies (commonly associated with the Dark Triad; e.g., narcissism, psychopathy, impulsivity, Machiavellianism), with particular attention to how certain characteristics may operate as contextually adaptive responses to the demands of professional sport. A mixed-method design was employed with coaches from professional hockey teams across North American and European leagues. Quantitative assessments generated comprehensive personality profiles, while in-depth interviews provided insight into how these traits were enacted, experienced, and regulated in daily coaching realities, including decision-making under pressure and interpersonal dynamics within high-performance environments. Findings underscore the complexity of personality functioning in professional coaching, suggesting that effective adaptation to high-performance contexts may rely on nuanced configurations of traits rather than strictly “positive” psychological characteristics. By advancing a more integrative view of personality in professional sport, this study contributes to ongoing efforts to move beyond normative frameworks and toward a context-sensitive understanding of psychological functioning in high-performance coaching.
Read CV Camille SabourinECSS Paris 2023: CP-SH03
BACKGROUND Prejudice based on sexual orientation and gender identity remains one of the most persistent forms of social exclusion in contemporary society. It often manifests through discrimination, stigmatization, and both psychological and physical violence. These dynamics are particularly evident in educational and sport contexts, which have historically been structured around by heteronormative norms and rigid gender roles. As a result, sport environments may function as risk settings for the reproduction and normalization of homophobia and transphobia. This study aimed to investigate knowledge, opinions, and prejudices attitudes toward sexual orientation and gender identity among university students enrolled in Sport Sciences and Psychology degree programs at the University of Pavia. METHODS Students completed an anonymous online questionnaire including ad hoc items regarding homophobia and transphobia in sport and standardized validated psychometric instruments. Sexist attitudes will be measured using the Ambivalent Sexism Inventory. Attitudes toward transgender and gender non-conforming individuals will be measured using the Genderism and Transphobia Scale. Homophobic attitudes will be assessed using Homophobia Scale. Data were collected in August 2021. RESULTS 84 participants (F=56) answered the questionnaire (median 23.0 yrs, IQR = 4.0). Median scores for ambivalent sexism were 2.0 (IQR = 0.6), indicating overall medium–low levels. Homophobia levels showed a median total score of 7.0 (IQR = 10.5), Transphobia scores were also generally low, with a total median of 1.5 (IQR = 1.0), 1.6 (IQR = 1.2) for genderism, and 1.0 (IQR = 0.6) for gender bashing. Despite these low self-reported attitudes, the majority of participants (73–75%) perceived homophobia and transphobia as prevalent issues in the sports context, particularly in disciplines such as soccer, boxing, and rugby. Moreover, while most respondents (85%) reported neither experiencing nor witnessing homophobic or transphobic incidents in sports settings, a minority (15%) indicated having witnessed such episodes, predominantly verbal in nature. CONCLUSION The findings indicate generally low levels of sexist, homophobic, and transphobic attitudes among the studied participants, alongside a high awareness of these issues within sport contexts. Despite limited direct exposure to discriminatory episodes, sport is still perceived as a setting where homophobia and transphobia persist, particularly in sports historically considered masculine within the Italian sociocultural context. These results highlight the need for targeted educational and preventive interventions within university training programs to promote inclusive and respectful, and safe sport environments.
Read CV Giulia LiberaliECSS Paris 2023: CP-SH03