Sexual Harassment/Abuse Policies in U.S. Youth Sport Programs.

Sport governing bodies, such as the International Olympic Committee, have recommended youth sport organizations develop policies, procedures, and/or ethical guidelines to prevent and respond to sexual harassment and abuse (SHA) experienced by young athletes. To our knowledge, no studies have investigated SHA policies or procedures in U.S.

Youth Sport Coaches' Perceptions of Sexually Inappropriate Behaviors and Intimate Coach-Athlete Relationships.

Although sexual harassment and abuse in youth sport have received increasing research attention worldwide, less is known about youth coaches' perceptions of sexually inappropriate behaviors and intimate relationships with athletes. The purpose of this exploratory study was to examine youth sport coaches' perceptions of behaviors that can lead to potential sexual harassment and abuse, as well as to understand how coaches perceive coach-athlete sexual relationships. A cross-sectional survey was completed by 200 male coaches from various U.

Soccer, concussions, and safety: Perceptions of parents of youth soccer participants.

Introduction: The rate of concussions in youth soccer is among the highest of all youth sports. Parents play an important role in caring for their children and making decisions regarding whether they should participate in a sport, such as soccer, where concussions are well known. This study examined parental perceptions regarding: (a) coaches' role in concussion management, (b) heading restriction policies, and (c) overall concussion risk and participation issues.

Youth Soccer Parents' Attitudes and Perceptions About Concussions.

Purpose: Parents are important figures in properly managing youth sport concussions. Although media attention has predominantly centered on concussions in contact/collision sports, evidence suggests that the concussion rate in soccer is comparable to those found in contact/collision sports. Given the high rate of concussions in youth soccer, this study aimed to examine parents of youth soccer athletes' attitudes and perceptions about concussions and associated factors.

Scale development: perceived barriers to public use of school recreational facilities.

Objectives: To test an original scale assessing perceived barriers among school administrators to allowing community use of school recreational facilities outside of regular school hours.

Methods: Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA).

Results: Using EFA and CFA, we found that a model including factors of legal/security, resources, and social support demonstrated the best relative fit for our data.

Liability concerns and shared use of school recreational facilities in underserved communities.

Background: In underserved communities, schools can provide the physical structure and facilities for informal and formal recreation as well as after-school, weekend, and summer programming. The importance of community access to schools is acknowledged by authoritative groups; however, fear of liability is believed to be a key barrier to community access.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate perceptions of liability risk and associated issues among school administrators in underserved communities.

Policies to promote the community use of schools: a review of state recreational user statutes.

Context: Concern over liability is a barrier to allowing community use of school property for the purpose of engaging in active sport and recreational activities. Recreational user statutes have the potential to limit liability for public schools when use occurs outside of regular school hours, reduce the fear of liability among school administrators, and increase opportunities for access to school facilities for recreation and physical activity by community members. The purpose of this study was to examine the applicability of recreational user statutes to public schools when the use of school facilities for recreational purposes would occur outside of regular school hours.

Validation of a stages of exercise change questionnaire.

The purpose of this study was to examine evidence for the validity of a stages of change measure of the Transtheoretical Model for exercise behavior. Participants were 152 university students (53.3% women, 71.