An interpretative phenomenological analysis of 2013 Boston Marathoners’ experience of running a subsequent Boston Marathon

ABSTRACT

While trauma experiences have been explored in several sport-related research studies, there is a lack of research on athletes’ experiences of a terror attack in sport. The present study examined the meanings 2013 Boston Marathoners ascribed to their experience of returning to the Boston Marathon to compete. Eight participants took part in semi-structured interviews. Interviews were analysed via interpretative phenomenological analysis. Seven themes emerged and were organised temporally around 2013 Boston Marathon experience and post-2013 Boston Marathon experience. Results suggest participants initially had difficulty processing their experience, but a return resulted in a changed perspective on the sport. Results also suggest returning to the Boston Marathon provided an outlet for some participants to demonstrate their defiance to the attackers, display resilience, and achieve a goal they could not in 2013. Implications for practitioners are discussed, with a focus on athletes’ idiosyncratic responses to trauma experiences and how to best serve clients who have experienced trauma in sport.

KEYWORDS:

• Terrorism
• emotional processing theory
• trauma
• in vivo exposure

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Allison Grace

Allison Grace recently completed her master’s degree in sport studies (sport psychology emphasis) at San José State University. She is currently a first-year student in the doctoral programme at Springfield College in Physical Education with a specialisation in Sport and Exercise Psychology.

Ted M. Butryn

Ted M. Butryn is a Professor of Sport Sociology and Sport Psychology at San José State University. He is also the interim director of the SJSU Institute for the Study of Sport, Society and Social Change. He has taught and published on various issues at the nexus of sport psychology and sport sociology, including the area of cultural sport psychology.