Lecture 32: Career Transitions

Question 1

What are the key differences between career transitions, retirement and drop out?

Answer 1

Career transitions: retirement, drop-out, different sport, new role within sport
Retirement: leaving sport all together
Drop-out: younger age, negative connotations

Question 2

What changes occurred for athletes once they retired? (Video)

Answer 2

Struggled to make new relationships
Struggled to maintain old relationships
Short time-frame in being forgotten
Missed competition

Question 3

What advice was given to young athletes by retired athletes? (Video)

Answer 3

Get a degree/work experience
Maintain something outside of sport
Develop mental skills as well as physical skills
Prepare and plan for the end

Question 4

What role do agents play? (Video)

Answer 4

Help maintain career when it finishes
Help maintain career upon early retirement
Provide contacts
Help transitions into other areas of sport

Question 5

What are the different sections for the conceptual model of career transitions?

Answer 5

Causes of career transition

Factors related to adapting to career transition & available resources

Quality of career transition

Unhealthy career transition can be met with intervention strategies

Question 6

What are the two categories for the nature of retirement?

Answer 6

Voluntary & Involuntary

Question 7

What are the voluntary factors that lead to retirement?

Answer 7

Achieved goals 
Pursue new interests 
Focus on family 
Loss of enjoyment 
Falling out with coach

Question 8

What are the involuntary factors that lead to retirement?

Answer 8

Age 
Deselection 
Injury 
Financial issues 
Positive drug test

Question 9

In a study on Danish athletes, what was the only career transition factor that differed between men and women?

Answer 9

Women more likely to drop out of sport due to family commitments

Question 10

What are the 5 psychological difficulties following retirement?

Answer 10

Depression 
Eating disorders 
Self-body relationship 
Anger 
Decreased self-confidence

Question 11

What are the factors related to adapting to career transitions?

Answer 11

Developmental contributors
Self-identity (you perceive yourself as your sport)
Social-identity (how others view you)
Tertiary factors (race and gender may effect re-employment)
Perceived control (voluntary/ involuntary)

Question 12

What are the available resources for career transitions?

Answer 12

Psychosocial support
Career Planning
Coping Strategies

Question 13

What is the typical response to retirement from sport?

Answer 13

Mixed findings

Question 14

Name 4 examples of sources of career transition distress.

Answer 14

Financial issues
Psychopathology
Adjustment difficulties
Family problems

Question 15

What are the 5 domains of intervention for career transition distress?

Answer 15

Cognitive (self-worth)
Emotional 
Behavioural 
Organisational (finance) 
Social (lack of social support)

Question 16

What were the results of a study looking at student-athlete drop-out?

Answer 16

29% had dropped out by time point 2
More females dropped out than males
Low ego-orientation, low optimism and high physical complaints predicted drop-out

Question 17

What were the implications of the student-athlete study?

Answer 17

Positive goal setting

Techniques to enhance self-efficacy