Exploratory development of a scale to assess coaching harassment experiences in junior sports

Abstract

Coaching harassment, which includes physical violence (corporal punishment), psychological violence, and other inappropriate coaching behaviors such as unfair treatment and favoritism, is known to occur in junior sports. Previous studies have primarily focused on the effects and qualitative characteristics of harassment. Moreover, a scale for convenient and appropriate assessment of coaching harassment experiences have not been developed to date. This study developed a scale to assess coaching harassment experiences in sports that comprised of nine items assessing concrete behaviors. A survey using the scale was conducted with university and vocational school students asking about their sports experiences in senior high school. The scale’s internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and concurrent validity were examined, which indicated adequate results. It is expected that using this scale in future studies will demonstrate the psychological effects of coaching harassment on motivation and mental health, as well as the process through which coaching harassment occurs.