Career Transitions

Question 1

What is the main research focus for career transitions?

Answer 1

• career transitions and its side effects e.g. changes the persons identity (decreases athletic identity), decreases social support and resources, affects what they do with their free time.

Question 2

What is the definition of an athlete career?

Answer 2

a multiyear sport activity, voluntarily chosen by the person and aimed at achieving his or her individual peak in athletic performance in one, or several sport events”.

relates only to competitive sport but at all levels

Question 3

What are objective parameters?

Answer 3

factural, do not consider the athletes personal feelings and thoughts with regards to their athletic career.

Question 4

what objective parameters characterise and athletic career? (Hanin and Stambulova, 2004; Stambulova, 1994):

Answer 4

Duration of sport participation
Sport events – regional/national or international events.
Sport titles – number achieved.

Question 5

What is a subjective parameter?

Answer 5

considers the athletes thoughts and feelings

Question 6

what subjective parameters characterise and athletic career? (Hanin and Stambulova, 2004; Stambulova, 1994):

Answer 6

Benefits and costs of sport participation
Career satisfaction
Career successfulness

Question 7

What is the definition of a career transition?

Answer 7

A career transition is “…an event or non-event which results in change in assumptions about oneself and the world and thus requires a corresponding change in one’s behaviour and relationships”. (Schlossberg, 1981, pg.5).

turning point in an athletes career

must be a process not a single event

Question 8

How do you apply career transition to athletic careers?

Answer 8

Transitions are turnings points in an athletic career: Some tansiitions are smaller than others

Transitions come with a set of specific demands: Increase in training regime, entering different levels of competition and have to make sacrifices to dedication to that

Normative transitions: Predictable e.g. progressing from an amateur-> semi -> pro

Non-normative transitions: Less predictable e.g. injury or something happening in the individuals personal life that affects their athletic career.

Question 9

What are the 3 transitions in the career transition model? (Bloom, 1985)

Answer 9

Initiation = beginning of the experience of the athlete. In childhood. Participating for fun and enjoyment. Participant in lots of sports. Participation would help with the development of different skills.

Development = as you age you are more likely to specialize in one or two sports. Start to invest more time and effort. enter competition and start progressing in ability. Practice and participation increases and becomes more structure and you might start making different sacrifices to your personal life.

Perfection = expert so more responsible for training

Question 10

What is a limitation of the career transition model? (Bloom)

Answer 10

Downfall is that it doesn’t emphasise what the transitions are and what happens in the transitions.

Doesn’t consider the 4th stage, career termination.

Question 11

What are the 4 transitions in the career transition model? (Samelea, 1994)

Answer 11

Initiation
Development
Perfection
Discontinuation: stop comepting at a level you previously were and becomes more recreational. 
	- social circle changes 
	- more time dedicated to personal life

Question 12

What are the 5 transitions in the career transition model? (stambulova 1994)

Answer 12

Preparatory stage
Beginning of specialisation
Intensive training in chosen sport
Culmination stage (perfection stage)
Discontinuation.

Question 13

what are the 4 transitions in the career transition model? (Cote 1999)

Answer 13

Sampling years
Specialising years
Investment years
Recreational years

(same as two original)

transitional stages is not emphasised which leads to final model

Question 14

draw the career transition model by Wylleman + Lavaliere 2004

Answer 14

see flashcard

Question 15

An overview of Wylleman + Lavaliere 2004 career transition model

Answer 15

considers the athletic level, age it occurs and as a whole career

how the social circle is and how it changes throughout their career…

initiation = parents
development = peers and coaches
mastery = coaches
discontinuation =family

Question 16

draw the athletic career transition model by Stambulova 2003

Answer 16

see flashcard

Question 17

what is the aim of the athletic career transition model by Stambulova 2003?

Answer 17

looking at the demands of the transition in relation to the resources the athlete has

develop a plan to see if its effective - negative leads to negative emotions and experiences around transitions

Question 18

what are the 3 time points in the athletic career transition model by Stambulova 2003?

Answer 18

Prevention interventions – look at the demands so they can prepare, resources they already have and how to develop them e.g. improving the social circle and amount of social support they have.

Athlete is in crisis so work with them to analyse their situation and develop a strategic plan to help with that

Athlete is struggling and experiencing negative emotions because of that, working with the athlete to prevent them withdrawing from sport and subsequent early retirement

Question 19

Salmela et al., 2000 study on career transitions

Answer 19

Aim: To describe the effects of coach and parental support on career transitions.

Methods: interviews focused on the athlete’s views of support they received from their coach and parents.

Results: Higher social support > success.
During the developmental stage successful athlete’s reported commitment from themselves and their parents.

Question 20

Wolfenden and Holt (2005) study on career transitions?

Answer 20

Aim: To determine the importance of the parent-athlete social system on career transitions.

Methods: Junior tennis players (n=9) were engaged in semi-structured interviews.

Results:

• parents = emotional and tangible rewards
• coaches = provide technical advice

Question 21

What is career termination?

Answer 21

Considered as when the athlete is no longer participating in competitions at the level they had achieved but still continue to participate in sport and exercise without competitive orientation

Question 22

What are the 4 main causes of career termination?

Answer 22

Age
Deselection
Injury
Free choice

Question 23

What four determinants are responsible for the quality of adaptation to career termination?

Answer 23

Cause of termination
Planning the post-career
Athletic identity
Social resources

Question 24

What is the Sport Career Termination Questionnaire II (SCTQ II)?

Answer 24

The degree of difficulty they feel they are facing with regards to termination
social support with regards to the process

Question 25

What did Alderman (2000) find in his study on career termination?

Answer 25

Free choice facilitates the adaptation process as athlete’s report feelings of positive emotions whereas forced athlete’s report negative emotion e.g. dissapointment.

Forced termination athlete’s report the need for more coping strategies and social support.

Question 26

What did Alderman (2004) find in his study on career termination - planning post-career?

Answer 26

Athletes who plan their retirement adapt faster and experience more positive emotions and greater life satisfaction.

Although only 40% of athletes plan their retirement in time for career terminations.
- Huge room for improvement

Question 27

What did Brewer (1993) and Brewer et al. (2000) find in his study on career termination - athletic identity?

Answer 27

Athletic identity contributes to career termination.

However, high athletic identity athletes have problems with adaptation to career termination (Brewer, 1993).

High athletic identity athlete’s are more reluctant to end their career, experience negative emotions and need more time for adaptation (Brewer et al., 2000).

Double edged sword
- High athletic identity from sport they are less likely to retire but when they do retire find it more difficult to cope with that

Question 28

What did Sinclair and Orlick (1993) find in his study on career termination - social resources?

Answer 28

Athlete’s need a social network within and outside of sport.

Social support during the post-career comes primarily from family and friends and less from coaches and the sport system

Question 29

What is the crisis symptoms during career transition?

Answer 29

1. Decrease in self-esteem
2. Emotional discomfort
   
   • Because they are experiencing negative emotions e.g. worry or apprehension about the future
3. Psychological barriers
   
   • Because of the negative emotions they might be experiencing side affects of anxiety and stress, decreasing their self-confidence.
4. Poor decision making and behaviours

Question 30

How can you prevent crisis symptoms during career transition?

Answer 30

• Aim to prepare the athlete in advance of normative and non-normative transitions.
• Help athlete’s to anticipate transitions
• Educate athlete’s about the transition process
• Analyse the athlete’s coping resources
• Analyse the potential barriers
• Plan ways to cope and develop new resources

Question 31

Lavaliere (2005) study on career transitions

Answer 31

Aim: To investigate the effectiveness of a life development plan on career adjustment in retired professional athletes.

Methods: Intervention (n=32) and control (n=39) groups which both contained recently retired professional soccer players.

Results:
Both groups were experiencing adjustment difficulties before the study commenced (no difference between the two groups).

Those in the intervention group showed increased coping skills and felt better prepared for future life demands.

Immediate positive effects but the scope to be long term

Question 32

What is the crisis-coping perspective?

Answer 32

• a stress management programme or development of psychological skills training
• mentoring role: educating them and providing coping resources
• mobilisation: based on the transition model