Taking The 'Sport' Out of Sports Parenting: Toward A Theory of Sport Related Parent-Child Communication Competency

Research has shown that over-emphasis on winning is the number one reason why approximately seventy percent of the forty million children who participate in youth sports will quit by age 13. This study utilized a constructivist grounded theory approach to investigate the role of parent-child communication within the context of youth sports. A total of 22 athletes and 20 parents were recruited through a Western university to discuss messages exchanged during youth sport participation. The results suggest that the delineation between messages of support and pressure is largely dependent on discursive work done by both parent and child. Parents who employed competent communicative strategies to avoid miscommunications regarding participation and sports goals were able to provide support and strengthen the relationship despite pressurized situations. The present study frames the youth sport dilemma within a developing conceptualization of communicative (in)competence and offers theoretical implications for sport related parent-child communication competency (SRPCCC).

Protecting Children: The United States Did Not Get the Lead Out

The lack of education and awareness of the potential of lead based paint hazards in residents across the United States is still a problem today. Simple educational tools and regulation changes can protect children who are at risk from being harmed by this hazard. Currently, there is inadequate outreach to educate the general public about lead based paint. A questionnaire was provided to families that have children under the age of seven and that live in residences built prior to 1978. The research and questionnaires confirm that more education, as well as regulation changes, is needed to keep children safe from lead paint hazards.

Transgender Group Therapy: Process and Issues with Male to Female Clients

Transgender issues are garnering more attention within the mental health field. With the increased social awareness of transgender issues, the mental health field is recognizing the need for effective psychological services for this population. Transgender individuals face unique challenges related to gender non-conformity, the coming-out and transitioning processes, and in society at large, all of which can lead to a number mental health concerns. Group therapy is a promising treatment modality for transgender individuals. The purpose of this paper is to offer a rationale for the effectiveness of group therapy, and recommendations for best practices utilizing the current literature and my experience with facilitating a Male to Female transgender therapy group.