An Exploration of Male Athletes' Experiences of Self-Compassion in the Context of Sport

Abstract

Research has highlighted the mental health benefits of self-compassion, particularly as it serves an adaptive function in managing personal suffering and rebounding from adversity (Neff, 2003b). For athletes coping with setbacks in sport, self-compassion has proven effective as an intervention for enhancing positivity and perseverance (Ferguson, Kowalski, Mack, & Sabiston, 2015) and buffering against self-criticism and rumination (Mosewich, Crocker, Kowalski, & DeLongis, 2013). To date, limited research has been conducted on self-compassion among male-only samples of athletes, with the majority of prior research in this area focusing on female athletes. There is a need for greater understanding of self-compassion among male athletes. Therefore, the current qualitative study explored four varsity male athletes’ experiences of self-compassion in the context of sport using semi-structured interviews and Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA; Smith, Flowers, & Larkin, 2009). The seven central themes that emerged from the analysis process are discussed in the context of the psychology literature. Consideration is given to implications for counselling practice and future directions for research.