“Change needs to start at home”: A reflexive thematic analysis of girl athletes’ and coaches’ experiences of body image in New Delhi, India

Budhraja, Mahira; Schneider, Jekaterina; Tinoco, Aline; Khanna, Preeti; Matheson, Emily L.

Abstract

Despite the physical, psychological, and social health benefits of sport participation, multiple barriers keep girls and women on the margins of sport in India. Further, body image concerns are implicated globally as a hindrance to sports engagement among adolescents but are rarely acknowledged in India. Due to a lack of research, the unique restrictions to sport participation faced by girls in India are yet to be understood. Drawing on the Sociocultural Theory of Body Image, this study explored the intersection of body image and sports from the perspectives of Indian athletes and coaches. Twelve athletes (girls aged 11–17 years; football n = 6, netball n = 6) and six coaches (football n = 3, netball n = 3) from New Delhi, India, participated in semi-structured focus groups. Reflexive thematic analysis was used and we formulated three themes: 1) “To Do What We Love, We Must Struggle”; 2) “What Will People Say?”; and 3) “Hold On To Your Power, Be You”. The themes provide a nuanced understanding of the experiences of athletes and coaches on and off the playing field. The findings shed light on several individual and systemic factors, such as harassment, societal norms, feelings of empowerment, and internalising appearance ideals, that impact girls’ engagement with sport in New Delhi, India. Methods to improve sports engagement, discrepancies between athlete and coach perspectives, and recommendations for sports organisations to combat body image concerns and improve sports uptake among girls in an Indian setting are discussed.

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Oct 30, 2024
• Online Publication Date: Oct 31, 2024
• Publication Date: Jan 1, 2025
• Deposit Date: Nov 3, 2024
• Publicly Available Date: Nov 11, 2024
• Journal: Psychology of Sport and Exercise
• Print ISSN: 1469-0292
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 76
• Article Number: 102774
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychsport.2024.102774
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/13391129
• Additional Information: This article is maintained by: Elsevier; Article Title: “Change Needs to Start at Home”: A Reflexive Thematic Analysis of Girl Athletes’ and Coaches’ Experiences of Body Image in New Delhi, India; Journal Title: Psychology of Sport and Exercise; CrossRef DOI link to publisher maintained version: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychsport.2024.102774; Content Type: article; Copyright: © 2024 Published by Elsevier Ltd.