Coach-Perpetrated Emotional Maltreatment in Organized Sport Settings: Differences by Sport-Related and Demographic Variables

Creative Commons License

Baykan E.

Journal of Sport for All and Recreation, cilt.8, sa.3, ss.430-444, 2026 (Hakemli Dergi)

Özet

This study examined coach-perpetrated emotional maltreatment scores among individual- and team-sport athletes according to gender, age, sport type, weekly training frequency, and duration of working with their current coach. An exploratory, crosssectional, comparative survey design was used with 368 athletes recruited through convenience sampling. Data were collected online using a Personal Information Form and the Coach–Athlete Relationship Emotional Maltreatment Scale (CAREMS). Welch’s independent-samples t tests were used for two-group comparisons and Welch’s one-way analysis of variance for three-group comparisons; effect sizes were calculated using Cohen’s d and eta squared (η²). No significant gender differences were found in total or subscale scores. Athletes aged 22–25 had higher Performance-Based Degradation, Intimidating Behaviors, and total scores than those aged 18–21. For sport type, only Indirect Personal Degradation differed significantly, with higher scores among individual-sport athletes. Significant effects were small and based on unadjusted p values; therefore, they were interpreted as exploratory. No significant differences were found by weekly training frequency or duration of working with the current coach. Overall, coachperpetrated emotional maltreatment scores differed only to a limited extent across the variables examined. The findings may inform safe sport practices that prioritize athlete welfare. Keywords: Coach-perpetrated emotional maltreatment, safe sport, athlete welfare, coach–athlete relationship, sport management.