The purpose of the present review was to provide an up-to-date summary of the burnout-in-sport literature. The last published reviews were in 1989 (Fender) and 1990 (Dale & Weinberg). In order to appreciate the status of current knowledge and understanding and to identify potential future directions, the authors conducted a synthesis of published work using a systematic-review methodology. Findings comprised 3 sections: sample characteristics, correlates, and research designs and data collection. A total of 58 published studies were assessed, most of which focused on athletes (n = 27) and coaches (n = 23). Correlates were grouped into psychological, demographic, and situational factors and were summarized as positively, negatively, indeterminate, and nonassociated with burnout. Self-report measures and cross-sectional designs have dominated research. The authors conclude by summarizing the key findings in the literature and highlighting the gaps that could be filled by future research.

This article was published in the journal, Psychology of Sport and Exercise [© Elsevier] and the definitive version is available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.psychsport.2014.03.001Objectives: In line with the aims of this special issue, the purpose of this paper is to forward a position on the concept of sport parenting expertise through the presentation of six key postulates. Design: Literature review and position statement. Method: By adopting methods associated with an academic position paper, a statement is presented that we believe encapsulates sport parenting expertise. Six key postulates of parenting expertise, formulated from critically reviewing and interpreting relevant literature, are then presented. Results: We propose that sport parenting expertise is dependent on the degree to which parents demonstrate a range of competencies; namely that parents, (a) select appropriate sporting opportunities and provide necessary types of support, (b) understand and apply appropriate parenting styles, (c) manage the emotional demands of competitions, (d) foster healthy relationships with significant others, (e) manage organizational and developmental demands associated with sport participation, and, (f) adapt their involvement to different stages of their child's athletic career. Conclusion: Expertise in sport parenting requires parents to develop knowledge and utilize a range of intrapersonal, interpersonal, and organizational skills in order to support their child, manage themselves, and operate effectively in the wider youth sport environment. Recommendations for applied researchers to further investigate these postulates and substantiate the components of sport parenting expertise are offered

Based on the developmental theory presented by Gagné (2009), we examined the factors perceived to influence the development of elite youth football players at a critical stage in their progression to the professional level. Transcribed interviews with ten expert development coaches were inductively and deductively content analysed. Conceptualisation of the data revealed six interrelated higher-order categories that represented the factors perceived to either positively or negatively influence player development. These were: awareness (e.g. self-awareness, awareness of others); resilience (e.g. coping with setbacks, optimistic attitude); goal-directed attributes (e.g. passion, professional attitude); intelligence (e.g. sport intelligence, emotional competence); sport-specific attributes (e.g. coachability, competitiveness); and environmental factors (e.g. significant others, culture of game). In this investigation, awareness emerged as a fundamental and mediating element for understanding how young players are able to transition to the professional level. Collectively, the findings underline the multidimensional nature of talent development and suggest that an intricate combination of stage-specific factors must manifest for gifted young players to translate their potential into excellence. Mechanisms by which academies could be helped to shape the characteristics and conditions associated with effective development are discussed.

This study qualitatively examined the motivationally relevant behaviors of key social agents in specializing sport participants. Seventy-nine participants (9–18 years old) from 26 sports participated in semi-structured focus groups investigating how coaches, parents, and peers may influence motivation. Using a critical-realist perspective, an inductive content analysis indicated that specializing athletes perceived a multitude of motivationally relevant social cues. Coaches’ and parents’ influences were related to their specific roles: instruction/assessment for coaches, support-and-facilitation for parents. Peers influenced motivation through competitive behaviors, collaborative behaviors, evaluative communications, and through their social relationships. The results help to delineate different roles for social agents in influencing athletes’ motivation.

This article was published in the journal Psychology of Sport and Exercise [© Elsevier Ltd]. The definitive version is available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.psychsport.2008.12.003Objectives: The objectives of this research were a) to explore the applicability of ‘motivational climate’\ud research to early career athletes under the age of twelve, b) to re-examine the concept of ‘motivational\ud climate’ in the light of recent scientific developments, and c) to concurrently study the influences of\ud coaches, parents and peers on athletic motivation.\ud Design and Method: Using a qualitative design, 40 participants (7–11 years of age) from various sports\ud were interviewed in focus groups, using a semi-structured format to investigate the roles played by\ud coaches, parents, and peers in influencing athlete motivation. An inductive content analysis was conducted\ud to determine which behaviours among these social agents influenced key motivational outcomes.\ud Findings: The analysis indicated that young athletes experience a motivational climate which shows\ud consistencies with existing models of motivation; suggesting this population is worthy of further study.\ud The influences of coaches related most strongly to the manner in which they perform their roles of\ud instruction and assessment, whereas parents’ influences were most salient in terms of the way they\ud support the child’s participation and learning. Both parents and coaches exerted influences through their\ud leadership styles, affective responses and pre-performance behaviours. Peers influenced participants’\ud motivation through competitive behaviours, collaborative behaviours, evaluative communications and\ud through their social relationships.\ud Conclusions: This study provides an insight into the motivational climate experienced by young athletes\ud and helps to delineate the different roles of social agents in influencing their motivation at this early\ud stage of development