Sport Psychology Consultants’ Perspectives on Facilitating Sport Injury-Related Growth

Abstract

Despite recent conceptual, methodological, and theoretical advancements on sport injury-related 26 growth (SIRG), there is no research on sport psychology consultants’ (SPCs) experiential 27 knowledge of working with injured athletes to promote SIRG. Toward this end, this study examined 28 SPCs’ perspectives on facilitating SIRG to provide an evidence-base for professional practice. 29 Participants were purposefully sampled (4 females, 6 males; Mean of 19 years’ applied experience) 30 and interviewed. Transcripts were thematically analyzed. Methodological rigor and generalizability 31 were maximized through self-reflexivity and eliciting external reflections. Five themes were 32 identified: Hear the Story, Contextualize the Story, Reconstruct the Story, Live the Story, and Share 33 the Story. Findings offer practitioners a novel approach to working with injured athletes. Rather than 34 focusing on returning to preinjury level of functioning, the findings illustrate how SPCs can work 35 with injured athletes to help transform injury into an opportunity to bring about positive change.