Clarification of Recognition among Injured Athletes and Their Teammates

Abstract

    It has been reported that injuries lead to psychological issues regarding human relationships while participating in sports. In particular, studies on the relationship between injured athletes and their teammates have reported that injured athletes perceive pressure from their teammates. In this study, we aimed to clarify the interpersonal recognition of injured athletes and their teammates. We conducted an investigation using a qualitative approach. Ninety-eight college student-athletes participated in this study, wherein an open-ended questionnaire was used. Written data were collected regarding the interpersonal cognition at the time of injury. The obtained data were categorized using the KJ method. According to the results, the cognition of a teammate regarding an injured athlete was categorized into 14 categories, such as “sympathy for the injured athlete” , “expected to return for the injured athlete” , “worry for the injured athlete” , “situational awareness of the injury” , and “opportunity to take the position of the injured athlete” . Additionally, the injured athlete’ s prediction of cognition of a teammate was categorized into 12 categories, such as “expected to return for the injured athlete” , “forced to return for the injured athlete” , “worry for the injured athlete” , “suspicion of injured athlete’ s sabotage” , and “disinterest toward the injured athlete” . From these results, it was suggested that teammates have cognition of worry and sympathy toward injured athletes, and they hope that injured athletes are cured and return to competition. In addition, it was observed that the injured athletes felt the cognition of peer-pressure in addition to the expectation of return from teammates. In the future, after collecting quantitative data, we need to examine it further by focusing on the difference between the cognition of injured athletes and their teammates.