Psychosocial Processes Associated with Athletic Injuries

This study utilized grounded theory to examine the psychosocial processes associated with athletic injuries. Seven competitive athletes were interviewed about their experience of being injured. A four-phase model emerged from the data. The phases were (a) getting injured, (b) acknowledging the injury, (c) dealing with the impact of the injury, and (d) achieving a physical and psychosocial outcome. Two additional categories that characterized the process were “ignoring the lessons” (relapsing) and “acting on the lessons” (attempting to prevent injuries). Two basic psychosocial processes (BPPs) that appeared throughout the model were “running the risks” and “opening to the messages.” The present study was discussed with respect to its contribution to the literature and directions for future research.