A Qualitative Exploration of Thriving in Elite Sport

Figures & data

Figure 1 Example of the code generation process.

Table 1 Content Code Definitions

Code	Definition (Use this code …)
Characteristics of Thriving
Sustained high-level performance	… for descriptions of training or competition performance that was at a good/high-level consistently/over a sustained period.
Optimistic	… for descriptions of or the presence of positive/optimistic thought and the absence of negative thought.
Focussed and in control	… for descriptions of being focused and demonstrating control of the situation.
Active awareness of areas for improvement	… for descriptions of athletes being aware and having an understanding of areas where they need to improve.
Possess high-quality motivation	… for descriptions of motivation that have a high intrinsic component.
Display upward progression	… for descriptions of upward progression or growth.
Experiencing holistic development	… for descriptions of simultaneous nonsporting development.
Has a sense of belonging	… for descriptions of athletes feeling that they deserve to be in their environment.
Outcomes of Thriving
Personal development benefits	… for descriptions of personal development resulting from thriving.
Performance benefits	… for descriptions of sporting success/benefits resulting from thriving.
Increased self-confidence	… for descriptions of elevated confidence/self-belief following thriving.
Platform for momentum	… for descriptions of thriving providing momentum for future experiences.
Decreased mood/motivation	… for descriptions of decreased mood and motivation following thriving.
Facilitators of Thriving
Contextual
High-quality relationships	… for descriptions of athletes' interpersonal relationships where they highlight trust, significance, and alignment.
Coach support	… for statements or descriptions of support from the athlete's coach.
Family support	… for statements or descriptions of support from family members.
Teammates	… for statements or descriptions of support from teammates.
Support staff support	… for statements or descriptions of support from the support staff (e.g., physio, psychologist).
Training environment	… if a performer's training environment, or characteristics of that training environment (e.g., level of challenge, training partners), was described as supporting thriving.
Experience of pressure	… if pressure was perceived to facilitate thriving. This may include accounts of where pressure was high or low.
Personal
Desire and motivation	… for descriptions of athletes' hunger, desire, and motivation supporting thriving.
Appreciation, trust, and commitment to the process of development	… for descriptions of an athlete's appreciation, trust, and commitment in the development process supporting thriving.
Understanding of personal/sporting demands/requirements	… for descriptions of understanding and having and awareness of personal/sporting demands/requirements supporting thriving.
Ability to control and manage potentially stressful situations	… for descriptions of an individual's perceived ability to deal with pressure/stress supporting thriving.
Concentration	… for descriptions of concentration supporting thriving.
Previous success	… for descriptions of previous successful performances supporting thriving.
Self-belief	… for descriptions of self-belief/self-confidence supporting thriving.
Goal setting and creating challenge	… for descriptions of goal setting and ensuring challenge exists for supporting thriving.
Positive mental state	… for descriptions of happiness and enjoyment supporting thriving.

Table 2 Athletes', Coaches', and Sport Psychology Practitioners' Contributions to Codes on General Athlete Thriving in Elite Sport Performers

		Participant
Code		A1	A2	A3	A4	A5	C1	C2	C3	C4	C5	P1	P2	P3	P4	P5
Characteristics of Thriving
	Sustained high-level performance		X	X	X	X	X		X	X	X	X		X
	Optimistic		X		X
	Focussed and in control				X		X				X					X
	Active awareness of areas for improvement						X	X			X					X
	Possess high-quality motivation				X											X
	Display upward progression		X			X					X	X		X	X
	Experience holistic development			X						X					X
	Has a sense of belonging			X											X
Outcomes of Thriving
	Personal development benefit									X		X
	Performance benefits			X			X					X
	Increased self-confidence		X	X	X		X	X		X					X
	Platform for momentum		X								X
	Decreased mood/motivation				X
Facilitators of Thriving
Contextual
	High-quality relationships		X	X		X	X		X	X	X	X			X	X
	Coach support		X	X	X		X	X	X	X	X	X			X	X
	Family support		X	X	X				X			X				X
	Teammates				X					X		X
	Support staff		X				X	X	X			X			X	X
	Training environment		X			X		X		X		X			X
	Experience of pressure			X			X				X	X			X
Personal
	Desire and motivation		X		X	X	X				X	X		X
	Appreciation, trust, and commitment to the process of development						X	X	X	X	X	X				X
	Understanding of personal/sporting demands/requirements					X	X	X						X		X
	Ability to control and manage potentially stressful situations					X							X	X	X	X
	Concentration													X
	Previous success			X					X		X			X
	Self-belief				X	X			X		X				X
	Goal setting and creating challenge		X	X	X			X			X	X			X
	Positive mental state	X		X											X

Note. Participants A1 and P2 characterized thriving as an experience occurring in a specific match/race; their responses have therefore been largely excluded from the results. It was not possible to identify any outcomes of thriving from A5, C3, P3 and P5's transcripts. A = athlete; C = coach; P = sport psychology practitioner; X = interview extract including code.

Figure 2 Content codes for thriving in elite sport performers. Note. Numbers in parentheses indicate the number of participants who mentioned the code; it is important to highlight that the count is not an indication of the significance or meaningfulness of the code (Sparkes & Smith, 2014).

Sparkes, A. C., & Smith, B. (2014). Qualitative research methods in sport, exercise and health. Abingdon, UK: Taylor and Francis.

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