The Purpose Drives the Methods: A Kinesiology Researchers' Path in Examining Girls' Barriers with Sport Participation in Urban Areas

Dr. E. Missy Wright Assistant Professor, Kinesiology

Objectives for today…1. Provide overview of line of research

1. Methodology2. Results

2. 7 Helpful tips for being a student researcher

Background: Interest and involvementGirls in Sports

PersonalProfessional

What do we know…Benefits of youth sport

Positive youth development, increased competence

Great benefit in particular for girls in sport & PA Decreases in substance abuse and chance of

pregnancy, better mental health (Staurowsky et al., 2009)

What do we know… Large gender gap in youth sport

participation Boys 59% vs. Girls 41% (NFHS, 2012)

Boys 66% vs. Girls 34% (NCYS, 2008)

Girls start later, dropout earlier, and overall participate at lower rates than boys (Sabo & Veliz, 2008; Vilhjalmsson & Kristjansdottir, 2003)

Girls of color and girls in low-income urban areas lowest participators (Sabo & Veliz, 2008)

What do we know…Numerous PA-focused studies with

girls of color (Dwyer, 2006; Grieser et al., 2006; Kimm et al., 2002; Motl et al., 2004; Taylor, W., et al., 1999)

Fewer sport-focused (Slater & Tiggemann, 2010; Stewart & Taylor, 2000; Taylor, T. et al., 1999; Wilson Sporting Good Co., 1988)

Rural US communities, AustraliaMany youths’ PA is in the form of

sport (Weiss, 2008)

Line of Research1. 2010 – Qualitative Examination of

Girls’ Sport Participation in an Urban Environment

Line of Research1. 2010 – Qualitative Examination of

Girls’ Sport Participation in an Urban Environment

2. 2011 – Urban Recreational Sport Program Directors’ Perceptions of Girls’ Sport Participation

Why Qualitative? Process Research

How & Why vs. What/When/Where/Who Knowledge of Experts Exploratory Research The key is to obtain “rich, thick narrative description”

Line of Research1. 2010 – Qualitative Examination of

Girls’ Sport Participation in an Urban Environment

2. 2011 – Urban Recreational Sport Program Directors’ Perception of Girls’ Sport Participation

3. 2013 – Gender Role Conflict and Psychosocial Concerns across Race and School Location as Influences on Adolescent Girls’ Sport Participation and Withdrawal

Purpose of Study #1To examine in-depth the

participation of adolescent girls in Detroit to gain a better understanding of aspects affecting their sport involvement Area 1: Barriers and Benefits Area 2: Social Support (role of

coaches, family, peers) Area 3: Reasons Affecting Participation

Method4 semi-structured focus groups

2 HS and 2 MS aged groups 43 – 65 minutes in length

Inductive hierarchical content analysis (Côté, Salmela, Baria, & Russell, 1993)

Results

Barriers

3 Groupings, 11 General Dimensions

1. Personal Challenges

Physical Health & Safety (34)

Motivation Concerns (10)

Aversion to Sport (20)

Image Concerns (14) Cosmetic Concerns

(25) Physical Challenges

(16)

2. External Barriers

Lack of Available Resources (29)

Lack of Support (6) Negative Role of

Others (20)

3. Other Demands

Time Constraints (26) Academic Issues (18)

3 Groupings, 11 General Dimensions

1. Personal Challenges

Physical Health & Safety (34)

Motivation Concerns (10)

Aversion to Sport (20)

Image Concerns (14) Cosmetic Concerns

(25) Physical Challenges

(16)

2. External Barriers

Lack of Available Resources (29)

Lack of Support (6) Negative Role of

Others (20)

3. Other Demands

Time Constraints (26) Academic Issues (18)

Image/Cosmetic Concerns “But a lot of them, they just like you

say, girly girl and don’t wanna, you know, really participate. All they care about is their hair or their nails, their makeup. All that stuff.” (Older, Non-Participant, P1)

“Like they (girls) kinda feel that it’s kinda boyish to even play a sport, even if it’s like something, cheerleading.” (Older, Participant, P4)

Where To From Here…Follow up study

Triangulation Gate keepers

Psychosocial concerns“Girly Girl”

Study #2 Sport Program Directors in Urban Areas

1. Examine their perceptions of girls’ sport experiences and barriers girls face

1. Girly Girl

2. Barriers PD’s face getting girls involved

3. Strategies PD’s use

Study #2 Sport Program Directors in Urban Areas

1. Examine their perceptions of girls’ sport experiences and barriers girls face

1. Girly Girl

2. Barriers PD’s face getting girls involved

3. Strategies PD’s use

Perceived Barriers to Participation1. Urban area barriers

Cost Safety Transportation

2. Programmatic/structural barriers

Lack of female coaches Lack of other participating

girls

3. Social barriers Cultural views Role of others Social pressures Image concerns

4. Personal barriers Intensity/demand of

sport Health/safety/injury

issues Nervous/not confident

Perceived Barriers to Participation1. Urban area barriers

Cost Safety Transportation

2. Programmatic/structural barriers

Lack of female coaches Lack of other participating

girls

3. Social barriers Cultural views Role of others Social pressures Image concerns

4. Personal barriers Intensity/demand of

sport Health/safety/injury

issues Nervous/not confident

Cultural Views “Some girls, you know I think maybe

cultural-wise they’re taught not to participate in programs where they have to be physical.” PD 1b (Male)

“Whether it’s culturally, stereotypically, uh, you know, some of the girls don’t feel comfortable or their parents, you know, are traditional families; they don’t feel that girls should be playing sports.” PD 4 (Male)

Role of Others “They’ll opt not to come to practice if

they can hang out with their boyfriend.” PD 1b (Female)

“By the time they’re 12 and 13 they might now have to take care of a family of their own (emphasis) in a way because mom and dad, they’re either not around or they’re working three jobs and so they don’t have time to do things after school.”  PD 7 (Female)

Social Pressures“In our community it’s not always

cool for a young lady to be playing sports.” PD 3 (Male)

“Trying to fit in. You know, there aren’t a lot of girls that do play, so wanting to hang out, just be more socially active, I think kinda keeps them away from committing to a sport team.” PD 2 (Male)

Image Concerns

“So if I just got my hair done no I’m not going in there to play in the gym.” PD 13 (Female)

“Am I going to be teased about sweating? And not only teased but I think just the mind set; I don’t want to play softball because it’s dirty.” PD 12 (Male)

Thoughts on Girly Girl Mentality“Have you encountered Girly Girl

mind frame in your program” Yes = 9 No, but… = 5 No = 1

“Any differences across race/ethnicity” Mixed findings

1. Impact of Society

“The biggest thing is like…like it’s one of things that we, we have the least control over…like I could eventually raise a whole lot of money and then I could take that money and I could start spending it on girls’ programming, but, you know that money I can’t buy the social stigma away. You know once the money’s gone, the stigma will always be there you know?” PD 10 (Female)

2. Impact of Media

“It’s stuff that happens in the media. You know you don’t typically see um a strong female figure in the media whenever there’s some sort of advertisement. You know usually it’s a pretty girl who’s using their sexuality to get something.” PD 5 (Male)

3. Lesbian stereotype

“So that was her main thing. “I’m not playing basketball. I’m not trying to get stereotyped.” So she looks at basketball as that…” PD 9 (Female)

1. Girls navigate both girly girl and athletic roles

“It’s this fine line they walk between wanting to feel like they’re pretty and people seeing them that way and being an athlete.” PD 6 (Female)

2. PD’s accommodate blend of sport and girly girl

“You don’t have to be two different people, you can simply be you wherever you’re at. You know and if you want to wear makeup when you play, then wear makeup when you play, like there’s no rule that says you can’t.” PD 6 (Female)

Putting it together…Many similar barriers

With PA studiesE.g. safety, cost, self-consciousness

with boys (Dwyer et al., 2006; Leslie et al., 1999)

Between Girls and PD’sE.g. safety concerns, sport intensity,

role of others (Leaper & Brown, 2008; Taylor, T. et al., 1999)

Programmatic Girls-only programming, female coaches

(Stewart & Taylor, 2000)

Girly Girl - “Balancing act” (Adams et al., 2006; Krane et al., 2004)

Seems critical that PD’s support thisDifferences across race

Hair, sweating, “beauty cost” (Boyington et al., 2008; Dwyer et al., 1999; Taylor, W. et al., 1999)

Not “cool” or feminine, fear of muscles, butch sports (Slater & Tiggemann, 2010; Taylor, T., et al., 1999)

What next…

Quantitative study Scale and scope

Construction of Girls’ Psychosocial Concerns with Sport (PSC) instrument for use in dissertation

Differences on PSC across race and school type If their scores predict their current

sport involvement

Conclusion Flexible in approach The purpose of your research dictates

what methodologies you will use

And…

Helpful tips with being a student researcher

Helpful tips with being a student researcher1. Take advantage of available resources

Ask questions Get involved

Helpful tips with being a student researcher2. Find what you're interested in Won’t feel like “work”

* Consider influence of your biases and knowledge

Helpful tips with being a student researcher3. Get involved with a research group!

Benefits of a research group Do more with more

Collaborate on projects Accountability!

Timelines and goals Valuable feedback

Various backgrounds/knowledge of literature

Objective viewpoints

Helpful tips with being a student researcher4. Keep a research “notebook” Helps keep track of research ideas

Helpful tips with being a student researcher5. Develop a method for recording/using the literature

Helpful tips with being a student researcher6. Attend conferences and be an active attendee Take notes Make connections

Helpful tips with being a student researcher7. Understand becoming a good researcher is a process Put yourself “out there” Attain feedback Always look to improve