Objectives: The purpose of the present study was to examine the effectiveness of an imagery intervention on eudaimonic well-being (EWB) of soccer players using a single-subject multiple baseline design. Methods: Five female varsity level soccer players ( M _age =19.80, SD =1.64) participated in the study. Each athlete engaged in eight individual imagery sessions (i.e., intervention phase) aimed at increasing EWB. Results: Visual and statistical analyses demonstrated a small increase on EWB for two participants. However, post-intervention interviews revealed that all the players believed the intervention was beneficial and had a positive impact on their EWB. Conclusions: The utility of employing imagery interventions for enhancing athletes’ EWB in various contexts within and outside sport was highlighted.

While masters sport aligns with the holistic concept of active aging, related research has focused predominantly on the physical domain, and less is known about the psychological, cognitive, and social benefits of older adults’ participation. This study examined, in combination, the perceived psychological, social, cognitive, and physical benefits of training and competing as a masters athlete, while considering age and gender differences. Forty masters athletes residing in Canada were interviewed (21 men and 19 women; 15 who were 50–64 years and 25 who were 65–79 years), representing 15 different sports. Interviews were coded both deductively and inductively, revealing several subthemes of benefits for the broader perceived psychological, social, cognitive, and physical benefits, with few but notable differences between women and men, and those younger than 65 years and those 65+ years. Our findings provide new insights into the positive experiences of active aging associated with high levels of physical activity among older adults, such as greater self-confidence, especially for women, comradery, and feeling mentally sharper, especially for the older age group.

Objectives: To examine the impact of an exercise imagery intervention (vs. an attention control) on the primary outcome of exercise identity, and secondary outcomes of behaviour and fitness, of female initiates during their involvement in a structured 8-week exercise programme (with two follow-up assessments). Design: Randomized experimental design with pre and post measures. Method: Female exercise initiates (N = 145) were randomly assigned into an imagery or control condition. Each participant was given an individualised, cardiovascular programme to follow for eight weeks. Participants listened to tailored imagery scripts lasting 3–5 min each week during the 8-week programme and at week 0, 5, 9, 18, and 36 participants competed assessments. Results: Findings revealed significant improvements over time for exercise identity, exercise behaviour, and fitness. In addition, a significant group x time interaction effect was observed at week 9 for identity in favour of the exercise imagery condition. Conclusion: Given exercise identity appears to serve as an important construct in the promotion of exercise adherence (Strachan et al., 2013 Strachan, S. M. , Fortier, M. S. , Perras, M. G. , & Lugg, C. (2013). Understanding variations in exercise-identity strength through identity theory and self-determination theory. International Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 11(3), 273–285. doi: 10.1080/1612197X.2013.749005 [Taylor & Francis Online] , [Google Scholar] . Understanding variations in exercise-identity strength through identity theory and self-determination theory. International Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 11(3), 273–285. doi:10.1080/1612197X.2013.749005), results of the imagery intervention in the current study are very promising; exercise imagery can be used to improve exercise role identity.

Masters athletes are a unique group of older adults whose experiences may provide valuable insights into the role of sport for successful aging. The purpose of this study was to explore whether masters athletes' social and psychological experiences vary with their time, frequency, and perceived exertion in training and competition. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 40 men and women older masters athletes, aged 50–79 years (M = 66), who were active at the competitive level across a variety of sports (e.g., volleyball, curling, rowing, dragon boating, running, swimming, and basketball) at the time of the study. Results indicate that all participants experienced social and psychological benefits from engaging in masters sport. Only the high-frequency engagement subgroup (participating five to seven times per week in training and/or competition) reported social downsides, in terms of missing time with family and friends outside of masters sport. However, some participants described the positive family support (e.g., spouse who endorses sport participation) that overrides some of the social costs. These findings have implications for realizing positive experiences with minimal engagement in masters sport, yet an apparent threshold of participation beyond which negative social consequences may be experienced. This is an important consideration for the design and promotion of sport for older adults.

Indigenous women face unique challenges during pregnancy/birth-related medical travel due to systemic barriers, cultural differences, and geographic isolation. In Canada, Indigenous women frequently travel substantial distances for pregnancy care and birth. Many pregnant women in Northwest Territories (NWT) are mandated to travel to urban centres with secondary/tertiary hospitals between 36-38-weeks gestation. What are the experiences of Indigenous women in NWT regarding pregnancy and birth-related medical travel? How do cultural and community-specific, culturally informed, and accessible healthcare practices influence the experiences of Indigenous women during pregnancy-related medical travel? Across three NWT communities, 156 self-identifying Indigenous women who were pregnant or who had given birth in the previous three years completed a semi-structured interviewer-administered questionnaire. Qualitative data were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis in NVivo. Of the 55 women who travelled for pregnancy care, 68.5 % felt prepared for medical travel and 57.4 % had a positive experience. Of the 52 women who travelled for birth, the mean length of stay after birth was 11 days (ranges from 1 to 90 days), with 63.5 % staying ≤ one week. Travel experiences, experiences with prenatal care and childbirth, and suggestions for improvement. The experiences involved loneliness, nervousness, logistical challenges, and communication and resource issues. Suggestions included improving cultural competency, expanding community healthcare, and incorporating Elder knowledge sharing. While many women reported positive experiences, improvements in medical travel and care access are needed to guide Indigenous maternal healthcare policy and planning.

Sport psychology has become widely applied in coaching practices to assist in athletic success. Despite the increased use, there is a lack of evidence-based sport psychology information available to coaches in the form of informal sources. The aim of this study was to conduct a pilot test to explore coaches’ perceptions and use of an evidence-based sport psychology website. Eight coaches participated in semi-structured interviews. Based on engagement, five of the coaches’ data was analyzed using thematic analysis on their experiences and revealed two main themes, website use and website enhancements. The remaining three coaches’ data was analyzed for their reasons for having limited engagement with the website and used to help identify ways it could be enhanced. In general, coaches perceived the website to be a reliable source that offered practical information (e.g. worksheets) that could be used directly with athletes, and was perceived as easy to navigate and to access information. There were, importantly, various improvements suggested for the website including delivery modality and guides for navigating the order for reading the information. This study offers evidence on the value of online resources in providing coaches with informal and evidence-based sport psychology learning opportunities, and also addresses a number of barriers to engagement as insight for website developers.