Enhancing Paralympic Sport: The Crucial Role of Sport Social Workers
The Need For Sport Social Workers
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.33043/57brqa5yAbstract
In Paralympic sport, athletes have unique social, emotional, and environmental needs that must be acknowledged and addressed. This article proposes the integration of social work professionals with expertise in sport to provide comprehensive support for Paralympic athletes. By incorporating mental health services, advocacy, and assistance in navigating challenges related to well-being and identity, the application of social work principles enhances the overall athlete experience in Paralympic sport (Werner et al., 2023). Education and training for Sport Social Workers are paramount in effectively supporting Paralympic athletes in the sports environment. These specialized programs equip social workers with the requisite skills and knowledge to cater to the specific needs of Paralympic athletes, thereby fostering their development and success in Paralympic sport. The significance of prioritizing the well-being of Paralympic athletes through the integration of Sport Social Work principles is underscored in this paper. Cultivating a supportive environment facilitates the holistic development and achievements of Paralympic athletes. Emphasizing inclusivity and the application of social work principles in Paralympic sports further underscores the broader impact of social work in addressing social issues within the Paralympic sport community.
Downloads
References
References
Anderson-Butcher, D., Riley, A., Amorose, A. J., Iachini, A. L., & Wade-Mdivanian, R. (2014). Maximizing youth experiences in community sport settings: The design and impact of the LIFE Sports Camp. Journal of Sport Management, 28(2), 236–249.
Arrington, C., & Bookman, M. R. (2023). Policy changes in the shadow of the Paralympics: Disability activism and accessibility reforms in Japan. Japanese Studies, 43(1), 27-47.
Beasley, L., Hardin, R., Magliocca, J., & Smith, Z. T. (2021). The experiences of social workers in NCAA Division I athletic departments. Journal for the Study of Sports and Athletes in Education, 15(3), 193–218.
Beasley, L., Newman, T. J., & Hardin, R. (2022). Applying social work values to practice in sport. Advances in Social Work, 21(4), 1212–1228.
Beau, L. (2024). Paris Olympics: Olympics a la francaise. New Zealand International Review, 49(4), 11-13.
Blauwet, C., & Willick, S. E. (2012). The Paralympic movement: Using sports to promote health, disability rights, and social integration for athletes with disabilities. PM&R, 4(11), 851–856.
Brittain, I., & Beacom, A. (2018). The Palgrave handbook of Paralympic studies.
Palgrave Macmillan.
Dehghansai, N., Allan, V., Pinder, R. A., & Baker, J. (2022). Examining the influence of impairment type on the development of Paralympic sport athletes. Adapted Physical Activity Quarterly, 39(1), 129-138.
DePauw, K. P. (2012). A historical perspective of the Paralympic Games. Journal of Physical Education, Recreation & Dance, 83(3), 21-31.
Gavrilova, Y., & Donohue, B. (2018). Sport-specific mental health interventions in athletes: A call for optimization models sensitive to sport culture. Journal of Sport Behavior, 41(3), 283.
Gill, E., Rowan, D., & Moore, M. A. (2017). The role of social work, practice, advocacy, and research in sport. Journal of Issues in Intercollegiate Athletics, 10(1), 1-10.
Gold, J. R., & Gold, M. M. (2016). The Paralympic Games. In Olympic cities (3rd ed., p. 23). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315735887
Gorczynski, P., Miller-Aron, C., Moore, M. A., & Reardon, C. (2024). The epidemiology of mental health symptoms and disorders amongst elite athletes and the evolution of mental health literacy. Mental Health Considerations in Athletes, 43(1), 1-11.
Jefferies, P., Gallagher, P., & Dunne, S. (2012). The Paralympic athlete: A systematic review of the psychosocial literature. Prosthetics and Orthotics International, 36(3), 278-289.
Judge, L. W., Smith, A., & Reynolds, J. F. (2024). The need for sport social workers in college athletics. Sports Innovation Journal, 5.
Kolotouchkina, O., Barroso, C. L., Guardia, M. L. G., & Pavón, J. (2020). Disability, sport, and television: Media visibility and representation of Paralympic Games in news programs. Sustainability, 13(1), 256.
Kratz, S., & Rosado, S. (2022). Sport social work. In L. Rapp-McCall, A. Roberts, & K. Corcoran (Eds.), Social worker’s desk reference. 4th ed. (pp. 856-862). Oxford University Press.
Lawson, H. A. (2005). Empowering people, facilitating community development, and contributing to sustainable development: The social work of sport, exercise, and physical education programs. Sport, Education and Society, 10(1), 135–160.
Magier, E., Newman, T. J., Kimiecik, C., Okamoto, K., Beasley, L., Shute, L., & Tucker, A. R. (2022). Understanding the needs of social workers in sport settings: Opportunities for specialized education and training. Journal of Social Work Education, 59(2), 331–345.
McNamee, M., Parnell, R., & Vanlandewiick, Y. (2021). Fairness, technology and the ethics of Paralympic sport classification. European Journal of Sport Science, 21(11), 1510-1517.
Moore, M. A., Atherton, K., & Miller-Aron, C. (2024). Lines of efforts: Unity of purposes for professionals working within elite athletics. The Sport Journal, online.
Moore, M. A., Gorczynski, P., Miller Aron, C., & Bennet, P. (2022a). Leaving professional
competition on the field: Professional collaboration in promoting college athlete mental health. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 1-5.
Moore, M. A., Gorczynski, P., & Miller Aron, C. (2022b). Mental health literacy in sport: The role of the social work profession. Social Work, 67(3), 298-300.
Moore, M. A., Ballesteros, J., & Hansen, C. (2018). The role of social work values in promoting the functioning and well-being of athletes. Journal of Social Work Values and Ethics, 15(2), 48-61.
Moore, M. A. (2016). Do psychosocial services make the starting lineup? Providing services to student-athletes. Journal of Amateur Sport, 2(2), 50-74.
National Association of Social Workers. (2023). About social workers. Retrieved from: https://www.socialworkers.org/News/Facts/Social-Workers.
Neupert, E., Holder, Tim, Gupta, L., & Jobson, S. A. (2024). More than metrics: The role of socio-environmental factors in determining the success of athlete monitoring. Journal of Sport Sciences, 42(4), 323-332.
Newman, T. J. (2020). Life skill development and transfer: “They’re not just meant for playing sports.” Research on Social Work Practice, 30(6), 643–657.
Newman, T. J., Turgeon, S., Moore, M. A., Bean, C., Lee, L., Knuettel, M., & Rahill, C. O. (2022). The dual pandemic: COVID-19, systemic racism, and college student-athletic mental health. International Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 1-4.
Poucher, Z. A., Tamminen, K. A., Sabiston, C. M., & Cairney, J. (2022). A longitudinal examination of changes in mental health among elite Canadian athletes. Journal of Sport Sciences, 40(7), 733-741.
Purcell, R., Gwyther, K., & Rice, S. (2019). Mental health in elite athletes: Increased awareness requires an early intervention framework to respond to athlete needs. Sports Medicine - Open, 5(1), online.
Reynolds II, J. F. (2017). Jane Addams’ forgotten legacy: Recreation and sports. Journal of Issues in Intercollegiate Athletics, 10(2), 11-18.
Stambulova, N. B., & Samuel, R. D. (2020). Career transitions. In The Routledge international encyclopedia of sport and exercise psychology (pp. 119-134). Routledge.
Vanlandewijck, Y. C., & Thompson, W. R. (Eds.). (2016). Training and coaching the Paralympic athlete. John Wiley & Sons.
Werner, C., Parrish, D., & McIngvale, E. (2023). The future of mental health in sport: CBT and athletes. Sport Social Work Journal, 4(1), 81-94.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Lawrence Judge, Matt Moore, Jerry Reynolds, Adam Smith, Kim Taylor
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
