A Comparison of Coach-Related Emotional Maltreatment by Disability Status: A Study on Athletes With and Without Disabilities

Abstract

Purpose: The aim of this study is to investigate whether the levels of emotional maltreatment perceived by athletes from their coaches differ according to their disability status.

Method: The study was conducted using the comparative survey model, one of the quantitative research methods. The sample consisted of 64 athletes with physical disabilities (56 women, 8 men; X̄age = 36.39 ± 11.83) and 69 able-bodied athletes (25 women, 44 men; X̄age = 20.65 ± 2.55), totalling 133 athletes. The Coach-Athlete Relationship Emotional Maltreatment Scale, developed by Dietz, Casey, Stirling and Porter (2015) and adapted into Turkish by Çetin (2022), was used as the data collection tool. The SPSS 25.0 statistical software package was used for data analysis. In the analysis of the data obtained, the independent samples t-test was used for comparisons between the two groups, and Pearson’s correlation analysis was used for correlational analyses.

Results: The research findings showed that non-disabled athletes scored significantly higher than disabled athletes on all sub-dimensions and the total score of the emotional maltreatment scale (p<0.05). Furthermore, whilst a weak positive correlation was found between sporting age and the ‘Embarrassing Behaviour’ sub-dimension among able-bodied athletes (r = 0.248; p < 0.05), no significant correlation was found between sporting age and the other sub-dimensions or the total score. Among athletes with disabilities, however, no significant correlation was found between sporting age and ‘emotional maltreatment’ (p > 0.05).

Conclusion: These findings suggest that a more protective coaching approach may have been adopted towards athletes with disabilities in sporting environments, and that emotional maltreatment may vary depending on the sporting discipline.

Keywords

• Emotional abuse
• coaches’ behaviour
• athletes with disabilities
• able-bodied athletes
• the sporting environment

Ethical Statement

This research was conducted in accordance with the ethical principles outlined in the Declaration of Helsinki and was approved by the Atatürk University Faculty of Sports Sciences Unit Ethics Committee at its meeting dated 25/05/2025, Decision No: E-70400699-050.02.04-2500166526.

Antrenör Kaynaklı Duygusal Kötü Muamelenin Engel Durumuna Göre Karşılaştırılması: Engelli ve Engelsiz Sporcular Üzerine Bir Çalışma

Abstract

Amaç: Bu araştırmanın amacı, sporcuların antrenörlerinden algıladıkları duygusal kötü muamele düzeylerinin engel durumuna göre farklılaşıp farklılaşmadığını incelemektir.

Yöntem: Araştırma nicel araştırma yöntemlerinden karşılaştırmalı tarama modeli kullanılarak gerçekleştirilmiştir. Araştırmanın örneklemini farklı branşlarda aktif olarak spor yapan 64 bedensel engelli sporcu (56 kadın, 8 erkek; X̄yaş = 36,39 ± 11,83) ve 69 engelsiz sporcu (25 kadın, 44 erkek; X̄yaş = 20,65 ± 2,55) olmak üzere toplamda 133 sporcu oluşturmaktadır. Veri toplama aracı olarak Dietz, Casey, Stirling ve Porter (2015) tarafından geliştirilen ve Çetin (2022) tarafından Türkçeye uyarlanan Antrenör-Sporcu İlişkisi Duygusal Kötü Muamele Ölçeği (ASİDKMÖ) kullanılmıştır. Verilerin analizi için SPSS 25.0 istatistik paket programı kullanılmıştır. Elde edilen verilerin analizinde iki gruplu karşılaştırmalarda bağımsız gruplarda independent sample t- testi ve ilişkisel analizler için pearson korelasyon analizi kullanılmıştır.

Bulgular: Araştırma bulguları, engelli olmayan sporcuların duygusal kötü muamele ölçeğinin tüm alt boyutları ve genel toplam puanlarında engelli sporculara kıyasla anlamlı düzeyde daha yüksek puanlara sahip olduğunu göstermiştir (p<0.05). Ayrıca engelsiz sporcularda spor yaşı ile utandırıcı davranış alt boyutu arasında düşük düzeyde pozitif bir ilişki bulunurken (r=0.248; p<0.05), diğer alt boyutlar ve toplam puan ile spor yaşı arasında anlamlı bir ilişki tespit edilmemiştir. Engelli sporcularda ise spor yaşı ile duygusal kötü muamele arasında anlamlı bir ilişki bulunmamıştır (p>0.05).

Sonuç: Bu bulgular, spor ortamlarında engelli sporculara yönelik daha koruyucu bir antrenörlük yaklaşımının benimsenmiş olabileceğine ve duygusal kötü muamelenin spor branşı bağlamına göre farklılaşabileceğine işaret etmektedir.

Keywords

• Duygusal kötü muamele
• antrenör davranışı
• engelli sporcular
• engelsiz sporcular
• spor ortamı

Ethical Statement

Bu araştırma, Helsinki Bildirgesi’nde belirtilen etik ilkelere uygun olarak yürütülmüş ve Atatürk Üniversitesi Spor Bilimleri Fakültesi Birim Etik Kurulu tarafından 25/05/2025 tarihli toplantısında, Karar No: E-70400699-050.02.04-2500166526 ile onaylanmıştır.

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