ECSS Paris 2023: OP-SH19
Introduction Women and men face different challenges in academic settings: despite women being approximately half of matriculating students in 2015, they represented only 28.8% of the total number of academics worldwide (UNESCO, 2018). The presence of gender differences in academia has been assessed through different perspectives: for example, female professors showed less risky research agendas (Santos et al., 2020) and fewer paper citations (Aiston and Jung, 2015). These inequalities are transversal to different fields and concern STEM disciplines specifically (Casad et al., 2020), such as surgery (Ferrari et al., 2022) and economics (Sarsons et al., 2021). In this study, we aim to investigate gender differences in academic career trajectories in a specific STEM field: the Italian Sport Science Schools and Departments. Methods All active members of 30 Italian Sport Science Schools and Departments in as many different universities were included in the study. From the data extracted from the curriculum vitae and personal websites’ pages, we examined the academic career trajectories, taking into consideration the gender, the year in which the masters degree or PhD was obtained, the current position in academia, and the starting year of the actual position. The sample comprised 1,623 Sport Science academic members (674 women): 212 full professors, 482 associate professors, 314 assistant professors, and 615 temporary lecturers. Descriptive statistics, independent sample t-tests, and a fixed factor ANCOVA (gender x title) were conducted to analyze the data. Results Descriptive analyses showed that women represented 42% of the total sample. Specifically, women comprised 51% of the assistant professors, 50% of the associate professors, and 35% of the full professors. Data from temporary lecturers were also analyzed, and women represented 32%. The Shapiro-Wilk test confirmed the normal distribution of the data (w=.97; p<.001). A title effect was present (p=<.001, d=.56), meaning that having a PhD title shortened the time to reach each academic position. A gender effect was present only for associate professors: men reached this position earlier than women (p=.013, d=.24). Discussion Descriptive data were coherent with the so-called ‘‘pipeline effect’’ in achieving gender equality in academia: although the number of assistant and associate professors was similar, women remained underrepresented in leadership positions (full professors) and less likely to achieve promotion (Waljee et al., 2015), as demonstrated by gender effect found for associate professors. Temporary lecturers, in contrast, aligned with the trend of female employment in sports-related fields (CONI, 2020), as this category typically comprises temporary professors responsible for teaching practical and applied sports lecturing. These results can stimulate a debate towards increasingly equitable and gender-inclusive academic paths.
Read CV Alessia PecchiniECSS Paris 2023: OP-SH19
INTRODUCTION The use of performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) is a widespread and largely underestimated phenomenon, especially in amateur sports where there are no controls. Particularly, bodybuilders often resort to doping, risking compromising their general and reproductive health. This work aims to analyze the personality traits associated with the use of PEDs and the attitude to doping, and the implications for the reproductive health of bodybuilders. METHODS One hundred and four bodybuilders (31.7% female, 68.3% male) were asked to fill out an anonymous questionnaire about PED use, symptoms, and concerns about fertility, contextually with three validated questionnaires on personality traits: the Performance Enhancement Attitude Scale (PEAS), the Big Three Perfectionism Scale–Short Form (BTPS-SF), and the Ten-Item Personality Inventory (TIPI). Univariate and multivariate statistical analyses were used to find correlations between the variables. RESULTS The results revealed PED use in 36 bodybuilders (34.6 %), more in men (88.9 %) than in women (11.1 %). The most commonly used substances are anabolic androgenic steroids and growth hormone. In addition, males presented more symptoms, including those related to lower fertility, and had undergone tests or consulted a doctor to assess their ability to conceive. Notably, women who are concerned or have consulted a doctor about the effects of PEDs on their fertility said they do not use them. As expected, PED users had a higher attitude to doping (PEAS score). Regarding personality traits, the multiple regression analysis revealed that the attitude to doping was positively associated with narcissistic perfectionism and negatively with self-critical perfectionism. CONCLUSIONS This study confirms the high prevalence of doping in bodybuilding. The type of responses and gender differences suggest an underestimation of PED use, especially in females. This study confirms the danger of doping and the possible consequences that their use may have on the reproductive health of athletes. The assessment of doping attitude confirmed its predictive role in the use of these substances. In addition, although it is known in literature that perfectionism is associated with a greater attitude to doping, this study found that narcissistic perfectionism is particularly associated with it. On the contrary, self-critical perfectionism could represent a possible positive personality trait from a doping prevention perspective.
Read CV Mauro De SantiECSS Paris 2023: OP-SH19
Objective: To systematically review qualitative studies on changes in athletic identity following sports injuries. Methods: The study adhered to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA 2020) statement. Electronic searches were conducted in Web of Science, Psychology & Behavioral Sciences Collection, PubMed, SPORTDiscus, and Scopus. Manual searches included forward and backward citation tracking via Google Scholar. Quality assessment employed the the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool. Data extraction and synthesis followed the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) guidelines. We used the ConQual method, incorporating dependability and credibility evaluations to determine the confidence level of findings. Results: A total of 24 studies were included. Meta-aggregation was used to synthesize findings into two overarching themes: “loss” (n = 17) and “reestablishment” (n = 7). The theme “loss” revealed that sports injuries lead to diminished athletic identity due to factors such as physical changes, absence from competition, and psychological challenges. The “reestablishment” theme showed that some athletes reconstruct their identity by engaging in roles such as coaching, volunteering, or participating in new sports. Conclusion: Sports injuries have complex impacts on athletic identity, with some athletes facing identity loss and others successfully rebuilding their identity. Future research should focus on distinguishing between athletes and non-athletes, refining assessment tools. Practical strategies include psychological interventions, fostering multidimensional identities, and supporting post-retirement planning to aid injured athletes in identity recovery.
Read CV YUNXI ZHANGECSS Paris 2023: OP-SH19