Sport Psychology in Practice: Hidden Power Dynamics Between Practitioners and Athletes
- Dr Paul McCarthy
- Sep 8
- 11 min read
Sport psychology practitioners face their biggest challenges while working in elite and professional sports. Their role has changed a lot. They've moved beyond helping individuals and teams to focus on the bigger picture of how sports organizations work. The power dynamics between practitioners and athletes often stay hidden, but they can really affect how well the services work.
Research in sport and exercise psychology shows what makes practitioners good at their job. The best ones know how to connect with people, aren't afraid to question themselves, make smart decisions, and understand how organizations tick. They also need to respect different cultures and want to keep getting better at what they do. These findings from the journal of applied sport psychology give practitioners useful tips to serve their clients better.
This piece looks at the complex relationships between power and sport psychology sessions. We'll get into how practitioners guide themselves through staying genuine, handle various relationships, and cope with elite sport culture's influence. People working toward a sport psychology PhD or professionals in the association for applied sport psychology need to understand these dynamics to succeed in their field.
The field's top performers must handle complex social and political situations. They need to make quick decisions and protect their programs. Our look at these hidden power dynamics will show you practical ways to keep control while building strong relationships with athletes.
Understanding Power Dynamics in Sport Psychology Settings
Power dynamics pervade every aspect of sports psychology practice. The way practitioners, athletes, and organizations interact creates complex relationships that affect service delivery. These dynamics often stay hidden yet deeply influence both the process and outcomes of psychological support in athletic settings.
Practitioner-Athlete Relationship as a Service Alliance
Sport psychology practitioners (SPPs) and athletes form mutually beneficial alliances where both sides contribute to achieve results. Their partnership goes beyond simple knowledge transfer. It represents teamwork shaped by the practitioner's input, the athlete's involvement, their mutual cooperation, and the cultural context [1].
The practitioner's knowledge base, behavioral patterns, emotional regulation skills, and interpersonal abilities help build positive athlete interactions during service delivery. The concept "individual is the instrument of service delivery" captures this idea perfectly [1].
Three vital strategies support this alliance. First, allegiance helps athletes understand and believe in the mechanisms of mental skills training. Second, relationship building helps athletes commit to work with practitioners and complete the work to be done. Third, contracting happens when both sides agree on goals, methods, responsibilities, and logistics that make athletes accountable [1].
Influence of Organizational Hierarchies on Psychological Support
Sport environments' organizational structures shape how psychological support works. Research shows several organizational stressors affect athletes' performance and psychological states. These include cultural and political environments, coaching styles, training environments, and team issues [2]. Athletes show higher vulnerability to depression, anxiety, and eating disorders compared to non-athletes during stressful periods [2].
Sport settings highlight power dynamics clearly. Research consistently shows many sporting environments accept hierarchical power structures and emphasize collectivism over individualism [3]. Such structures can create rigid boundaries between coaching staff and athletes that might limit collaborative psychological work [4].
Sport psychology practitioners must assess the system's structure, including hierarchies, boundaries, and roles. Understanding these dynamics helps practitioners spot structural issues that lead to systemic problems [4]. The field's evolution toward systems-led approaches means practitioners need expertise in team communication and organizational culture [4].
Role of Trust and Perceived Authority in Athlete Engagement
Trust serves as the life-blood of successful practitioner-athlete relationships. It means "the willingness of a party to be vulnerable to the actions of another party based on the expectation that the other will perform a particular action important to the trustor" [5]. Athletes show this vulnerability by placing faith in their practitioners' guidance.
Athletes trust practitioners based on four vital traits: justice (fair distribution of attention and support), benevolence (genuine care for athlete welfare), integrity (adherence to acceptable principles), and competence (possessing required abilities) [5]. Trust directly affects perceived performance and makes athletes more likely to follow practitioners' instructions [5].
Power imbalances in sports can make athletes endure negative behaviors that competitive cultures sometimes normalize [6]. Athletes without psychological safety often fear consequences for sharing mental health difficulties, which stops them from seeking help [6].
Building relational trust becomes vital for effective athlete psychosocial support. Research shows comprehensive support systems help athlete wellbeing in professional sporting organizations. Relational trust emerges as a key factor that promotes wellbeing and encourages help-seeking behavior [7].
Defining Practitioner Expertise in Power-Laden Environments
Sport and exercise psychology settings demand a deep understanding of expertise, particularly in environments with complex power dynamics. Sport psychology differs from other fields. It lacks a clear definition of what makes an expert practitioner [8].
Competency vs. Expertise in Sport and Exercise Psychology
Psychological practice shows clear differences between competency and expertise. Competency-based approaches meet baseline requirements by showing isolated skills in controlled settings. Expert practitioners know how to "solve ambiguous problems, tolerate uncertainty, and make decisions with limited information" [9]. This difference becomes significant in sport settings where unpredictable challenges emerge.
Collins and colleagues point out that competency frameworks offer "an apparently detailed yet ended up deceptive portrayal of practice requirements" [9]. These frameworks split complex roles into separate tasks. They fail to capture the subtle decision-making needed in real-life sport psychology practice. Competency-based training emphasizes "what" practitioners should do instead of "why" they should do it. This prioritizes minimum standards over genuine expertise development [1].
Impact of Power Awareness on Judgment and Decision-Making
Professional judgment and decision-making (PJDM) skills affect the direction and results of sport psychology service delivery [8]. A practitioner's judgment about intervention goals shapes their working alliance with athletes. This relationship affects how power dynamics emerge in consultation settings.
PJDM shows that applied sport psychology involves decisions made in "dynamic and unstructured environments" [8]. Practitioners need situational awareness (SA). SA means "the perception of elements in the environment within a volume of time and space, the comprehension of their meaning, and the projection of their status" [3]. This awareness becomes vital when navigating hierarchical power structures in sport organizations.
Limitations of Self-Reported Expertise in Applied Settings
Practitioners' acquisition of specialized competencies over time relies "almost exclusively on self-report" [8]. This creates a major limitation. Researchers rarely measure practitioners' actual skills, behaviors, and attributes or track their development over time.
Athletes prefer practitioners who share their gender, race, and age. They also value athletic backgrounds and sport-specific knowledge [8]. All the same, many of these self-reported traits show no link to actual service delivery outcomes. Multicultural competence consistently affects service quality. This means knowing how to work with individuals from diverse backgrounds [8].
Sport psychology recognizes that practitioners who deliver interventions may exceed the importance of their specific strategies [8]. This insight shows the need for expertise development models. These models should go beyond simple competency frameworks and place power dynamics awareness at the center of effective practice.
Facilitative Interpersonal Skills and Their Role in Power Balance
Interpersonal skills are the foundations to balance power dynamics in sport psychology consultations. These skills help practitioners guide complex practitioner-athlete relationships. They also serve as vital tools to build trust, maintain rapport, and ensure better outcomes.
Empathy and Attunement in High-Stakes Consultations
Building effective therapeutic relationships depends on empathetic attunement. Clients feel more heard and understood when practitioners show empathy [10]. This connection matters even more during high-stakes consultations where athletes might feel vulnerable or resist psychological support.
Studies show that respected figures who deliver constructive feedback can boost performance. A study revealed that negative feedback helped snooker players perform better, while positive feedback had the opposite effect [11]. The practitioner's skill to provide timely and contextually appropriate feedback shapes their effectiveness. The Life Control subscale of the MTQ48 emerged as a key factor in athletes' response to feedback [11]. This shows the complex relationship between mental toughness and how athletes receive practitioner input.
Cultural Humility in Diverse Athletic Contexts
Cultural humility offers a more contemplative and relational approach than cultural competence, which assumes measurable steps lead to proficiency [12]. This approach pushes practitioners to stay curious and eager to learn about another person's culture [12]. Power balance improves as practitioners position themselves as learners rather than experts of the athlete's cultural experience.
Sport psychology professionals (SPPs) recognized culture's role in their scholarly and applied practice [13]. While cultural competence training remains common, professionals notice it works only moderately well [13]. Cultural humility takes a different path by focusing on:
Self-reflection and examination of one's identities and beliefs
Openness to new cultural interactions and ideas
Awareness of how social structures and power dynamics influence athlete experiences
Feedback Mechanisms: Using FIS-C to Assess Power Perception
Youth athletes show better outcomes through interpersonal coach development programs. These improvements include better task-related climate, fun, enjoyment, and less anxiety [7]. These programs rely on specific frameworks like Achievement Goal Theory and Self-Determination Theory [7].
Practitioners can understand how their interpersonal skills affect power perception through structured feedback systems. These assessments help them spot potential dominance in their communication style. This knowledge allows them to adjust and create balanced relationships with athletes.
Managing Athlete and Contextual Variables in Power Dynamics
Sport psychology consultants must understand and manage both athlete variables and contextual factors that influence power dynamics to navigate the sport psychology consultation process successfully. These elements determine how well practitioners can build rapport, promote engagement, and create positive outcomes.
Athlete Readiness and Resistance to Psychological Support
An athlete's readiness substantially affects their receptiveness to psychological interventions. Research shows that all but one of these athletes are not psychologically ready to return to sport following injury [2]. Athletes in the "not ready" group show higher fear avoidance scores and believe their injuries have put their future athletic abilities at risk [2]. Sport psychology practitioners need to assess their athletes' psychological states during different rehabilitation stages before moving forward with interventions.
Athletic identity plays a crucial role in readiness. Athletes often experience a loss of athletic identity that affects their psychological preparedness after injuries [14]. Practitioners need to think about these identity changes when developing intervention approaches.
Contracting and Goal Alignment to Equalize Power
Formal contracting helps equalize power imbalances in sport psychology consultations. Practitioners and athletes use contracts to agree on goals, methods, responsibilities, and logistics [8]. Athletes become more committed to the service delivery process and take responsibility through this approach.
Goals that arrange well between coaches and athletes create an atmosphere that gets more and thus encourages more autonomous motivation. Research shows that setting common goals while emphasizing mutual cooperation and trust leads to higher commitment and complementarity [15]. Practitioners can redistribute power more equitably within the consultation relationship through effective goal-setting.
Navigating Team Politics and Coach-Athlete-Practitioner Triads
Coach-athlete-practitioner relationships create complex dynamics that need careful handling. Effective practitioners see beyond three separate two-way relationships and recognize these interactions' systemic nature. Research shows psychological well-being transfers among the group through:
Interpersonal coping processes
Emotional contagion between members
Social appraising of situations [16]
Practitioners work in what researchers call "a contested arena" [17] where coaches try to maintain their influence through strategic actions. Successful sport psychology professionals adapt to organizational contexts. They become part of the culture, build relationships with stakeholders, and provide appropriate support during crucial moments [8].
Deliberate Practice and Supervision for Power-Sensitive Skill Development
Reflective practice is the life-blood of power-sensitive skill development for sport psychology professionals. Sport psychology practitioners must get into how power dynamics influence their client interactions throughout their careers.
Role of Reflective Practice in Identifying Power Imbalances
Reflective practice helps practitioners understand and challenge personal biases that might affect service delivery negatively. Appropriate reflective models should guide this process with both short-term and long-term goals in mind. Practitioners become aware of assumptions through self-reflection that could create power imbalances with athletes. Better client connections, improved rapport-building abilities, and adapted interventions to specific athlete characteristics are common benefits reported by reflective practitioners.
Using Recorded Sessions to Analyze Practitioner Dominance
Think over practice needs immediate feedback from an observing mentor or supervisor. Practitioners can use recorded consultations as valuable tools to analyze dominance patterns in sessions. They can observe their communication style, spot instances of power assertion, and receive corrective feedback. This critical feedback process encourages most important professional growth, though it can feel uncomfortable at times.
Supervision Strategies for Ethical Power Navigation
Client welfare protection and practitioner competence depend on effective supervision. Clear role delineations, adequate direct supervision, and trainee feedback about the supervisory process must be established by supervisors. Preparation for supervision sessions, updated progress notes, and critical examination of strengths and weaknesses should be maintained by supervisees. Sport psychology practice benefits from this balanced approach to ethical power navigation.
Conclusion
The hidden power dynamics that shape sport psychology practice reveal complex relationships between practitioners and athletes. Power imbalances exist in these relationships due to organizational hierarchies, trust levels, and authority perceptions. Sport psychology practitioners need to understand these dynamics to work effectively in elite sport environments.
A clear understanding of power structures helps practitioners make better decisions during consultations. Competency frameworks provide basic requirements, but real expertise grows as practitioners learn to handle unclear situations while managing power relationships. This delicate balance needs strong people skills, especially when you have to show empathy and cultural humility.
Good practitioners recognize when athletes are ready for psychological support instead of forcing interventions. Using formal contracts and lining up goals helps create equal power between practitioners and athletes. The relationship between coaches, athletes, and practitioners adds more complexity, so you need to carefully direct team politics and organizational cultures.
Looking back at your work helps identify and fix power imbalances. Recording sessions are a great way to get insights into practitioner control patterns. Professional supervision gives ethical guidance about handling power. These methods help practitioners become more aware of their unconscious power use.
Sport psychology practice keeps changing as we learn more about these relationships. The field needs to do more than teach intervention methods - it must prepare practitioners to spot and handle complex power dynamics in sports. This approach will help us become more effective and give athletes the support they need while promoting their growth.
Key Takeaways
Understanding and managing power dynamics is essential for sport psychology practitioners to build effective therapeutic relationships and deliver impactful services in elite athletic environments.
• Power awareness transforms practice effectiveness - Practitioners who recognize hidden power imbalances make better decisions and create more collaborative relationships with athletes.
• Trust requires vulnerability and competence - Athletes engage more when practitioners demonstrate justice, benevolence, integrity, and genuine expertise rather than just baseline competency.
• Cultural humility outperforms cultural competence - Approaching athletes as a learner rather than cultural expert helps balance power and builds stronger therapeutic alliances.
• Formal contracting equalizes power dynamics - Clear agreements on goals, methods, and responsibilities make athletes accountable partners rather than passive recipients of services.
• Reflective practice prevents practitioner dominance - Regular self-examination and recorded session analysis help identify unconscious power assertions that undermine athlete engagement.
The shift from competency-based to expertise-driven practice requires practitioners to navigate ambiguous situations while maintaining ethical power balance. This approach transforms sport psychology from simple intervention delivery to sophisticated relationship management that respects athlete agency while fostering performance development.
FAQs
Q1. How do power dynamics affect the relationship between sport psychologists and athletes? Power dynamics significantly influence the effectiveness of sport psychology interventions. They shape trust, engagement, and outcomes in practitioner-athlete relationships. Awareness of these dynamics helps practitioners navigate complex sport environments and deliver more impactful support.
Q2. What role does cultural humility play in sport psychology practice? Cultural humility is crucial in sport psychology. It involves continuous self-reflection, openness to new cultural interactions, and awareness of social structures. This approach helps balance power by positioning the practitioner as a learner rather than an expert on the athlete's cultural experience.
Q3. How can sport psychologists effectively manage power imbalances in their practice? Sport psychologists can manage power imbalances through formal contracting, goal alignment, and reflective practice. These strategies help equalize power distribution, foster athlete engagement, and ensure practitioners remain aware of their own biases and communication patterns.
Q4. What is the importance of trust in sport psychology consultations? Trust is fundamental in sport psychology consultations. It allows athletes to be vulnerable and receptive to guidance. Key factors influencing trust include the practitioner's fairness, genuine care for athlete welfare, integrity, and competence. Trust directly impacts perceived performance and willingness to cooperate.
Q5. How does reflective practice contribute to a sport psychologist's professional development? Reflective practice is essential for identifying power imbalances and improving service delivery. It helps practitioners understand their biases, improve rapport-building abilities, and adapt interventions to specific athlete needs. Regular self-examination and analysis of recorded sessions contribute to continuous professional growth and more effective practice.
References
[1] - https://www.academia.edu/55772668/The_Illusion_of_Competency_Versus_the_Desirability_of_Expertise_Seeking_a_Common_Standard_for_Support_Professions_in_Sport[2] - https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10878413/[3] - https://www.journalofexpertise.org/articles/volume5_issue4/JoE_5_4_Collins_Collins.pdf[4] - https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/21520704.2025.2468635[5] - https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S209525461200035X[6] - https://in.yvex.de/term/power-dynamics-in-sport/[7] - https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1469029223001826[8] - https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/1612197X.2024.2351444[9] - https://www.researchgate.net/publication/265551360_The_Illusion_of_Competency_Versus_the_Desirability_of_Expertise_Seeking_a_Common_Standard_for_Support_Professions_in_Sport[10] - https://researchportal.port.ac.uk/files/88439411/Person-centred_Sport_Psychology_Practice.pdf[11] - https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1469029223000900[12] - https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/1612197X.2024.2310988[13] - https://www.researchgate.net/publication/350391933_Sport_psychology_professionals'_perceptions_of_the_roadblocks_to_cultural_sport_psychology[14] - https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00049530.2024.2402424[15] - https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10434943/[16] - https://eprints.leedsbeckett.ac.uk/id/eprint/9468/12/InterpersonalPsychologicalWellbeingAmongCoachathletesportPsychologyPractitionerTriadsPV-DIDYMUS.pdf[17] - https://www.researchgate.net/publication/234606554_Power_Conflict_and_Cooperation_Toward_a_Micropolitics_of_Coaching
