Must We Control Every Detail? Beliefs Among Parents of Elite Soccer Players

Must We Control Every Detail? 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Beliefs Among Parents of Elite Soccer Players Neus Ramos-Agost, Anna Jordana Casas, Miquel Torregrossa Álvarez This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-7185469/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract This study explores how parents cope with the adversities associated with their children’s soccer development, in order to identify adaptive response patterns to help them provide better support. Participants comprised 11 fathers and 15 mothers (N = 26) of student soccer players in the youth category of two first division soccer clubs. Four focus groups were conducted to identify the situations most frequently experienced as adverse. These were analysed using a deductive approach, employing the GABCDE framework integral to Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy (REBT). The results showed that, on the field, the most significant adversity was the risk or presence of injury. In this context, the most adaptive belief was: “We try to do all that we can, but we don’t have to be the perfect parent(s) to the perfect soccer player” , associated with competencies such as emotional regulation, compassion, and assertive communication. Off the field, the most prominent adversity arose at the end of the season, when it was time to decide whether or not to stay on at the club. The most adaptive belief was: “sport forms part of their development, whether or not they go on to become professionals” , reflecting higher tolerance of uncertainty, emotional acceptance and balanced support. These findings reveal adaptive REBT-based coping strategies for the family setting. Moreover, they offer greater understanding of the individual and collective nature of beliefs, and of the role of the family in providing a protective (or unsafe) environment in the context of elite sport. REBT elite sport support family soccer mental health Introduction The demands of competitive sport require a considerable level of commitment not only from athletes (Marques et al., 2022 ), but also from those closest to them, and especially from their families (Elliott & Drummond, 2017 ; Ramos-Agost et al., 2024 ). Parents, in particular, play a central role over the course of their children’s athletic careers (Tessitore et al., 2021 ). In this regard, they often take on a high level of emotional, practical and organisational involvement to help their children achieve their goals and obtain other forms of recognition (Webb & Knight, 2023 ; Mateu et al., 2024 ). A number of recent studies (e.g. Hobson et al., 2023 ; Milan et al., 2024 ) have demonstrated that parents of young athletes tend to adopt highly stringent attitudes regarding their own role and responsibility in achieving their children’s sporting goals. In fact, there is evidence that some parents tend to adopt a demand-oriented approach, imposing efforts and changes to both personal and family routines in the pursuit of their children’s goals (Brown et al., 2019 ). Although parental involvement is usually well-intentioned, it can be deeply influenced by beliefs about the performance and success that they believe their children should accomplish (King et al., 2022; Tessitore et al., 2021 ). Within the framework of Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy (REBT), developed by Ellis ( 1957 ), beliefs are not deemed to be neutral elements, but rather reflections of rational or irrational cognitions that shape the interpretation of events, as well as the emotional and behavioural responses that derive from them. Beliefs can include personal values, norms, and rules, and tend to reflect what a person thinks should happen, rather than what is objectively possible or realistic. According to some of the applications of REBT to sport (Jordana et al., 2023 ), there are two types of beliefs that condition a person’s mental health and therefore, affect the activation of expectations and the adaptation to the circumstances and context. On one hand, we find irrational beliefs, which are rigid, extreme, absolute, and illogical; and when expectations are not met, this can lead to intense and dysfunctional emotions, such as anxiety or frustration, and prove to be maladaptive and unhealthy. For example, “demandingness” is an irrational belief (e.g. “my child must perform well”). In contrast, rational beliefs are flexible, they are not extreme, and they are logically supported. When expectations are not met, they help the person adopt a more functional, adaptive, and healthy perspective. In this case, “preference” is the alternative to “demandingness” and desires are prioritised over demands (e.g. “I would like my child to perform well but it is not an absolute necessity”). In this study, we consider that beliefs influence the way in which parents approach adversity in the context of elite sport. Maladaptive beliefs have been identified as a key focus for therapeutic intervention in the field of sport, as they hinder the achievement of personal goals and have a negative effect on emotional well-being (Mansell, 2023 ). However, even though the influence of irrational beliefs on athletes has been widely documented (Jordana et al., 2023 ), there is still limited data examining the management of this phenomenon in parents (King et al., 2024 ). The work of Jordana and Turner ( 2023 ), for example, showed that REBT can be effectively applied to athletes’ beliefs and thus supports better adaptation to adverse situations. However, no study has addressed this issue from the perspective of parents, who also face emotional, practical and relational challenges and perform a crucial role in the athletic development of their children (Knight et al., 2017 ). To date, although some studies (e.g. Jordana & Turner, 2023 ; King et al. 2022; Turner, 2019) have explained the importance of studying the beliefs of athletes at the micro level (e.g. family members, coaches), the literature has so far only demonstrated that parents share certain perspectives, beliefs, and behaviours influenced by specific sociocultural factors in the sports context (Elliott & Drummond, 2013 ; King et al. 2022). This research goes one step further and considers the relevance of exploring whether parents’ reactions to adverse circumstances are mediated: (a) by an adaptive response to the context of elite sport, aimed at facilitating their children’s goals; or, on the contrary, (b) by the need to comply with maladaptive beliefs derived from the beliefs of perfectionism. Addressing this distinction is of crucial importance, given that it would help to explain the effort and dedication required by adaptive beliefs and the emotional exhaustion and ineffectiveness associated with the pursuit of idealised goals sustained by maladaptive beliefs (Tóth et al., 2022 ), with the aim of fostering adaptive beliefs to facilitate better support. The objective of this study is to explore how parents deal with adversities associated with their children’s soccer development, with the aim of identifying adaptive response patterns. Furthermore, the use of REBT as a therapeutic framework is proposed to help families restructure their expectations and rationalise their beliefs with the aim of facilitating healthier and more sustainable emotional support. Consequently, the ultimate goal of this research is to strengthen the family unit as a protective environment to foster the healthy and holistic development of young soccer players. Methodology Design This study is phenomenological and instrumental (Smith & Sparkes, 2016) in design. The reason for this is because the analysis focused on the experiences of parents of elite athletes regarding their expectations while supporting their children to achieve their rigorous goals. Smith and Sparkes’ study (2017) explained that this type of investigation observes how participants experience the world. Accordingly, our study conducted the minimum number of focus groups, and each group was composed of a sufficient number of participants in order to obtain the content needed to explore, understand, and structure the experience. This design is the same as that used by other investigations such as the study by Hodge et al. ( 2014 ) and by Ramos-Agost et al. ( 2024 ), in which the investigator is tasked with interpreting the data collected, that is, the researcher is the reflective instrument (Poucher et al., 2020 ). Sampling was an intentional process based on practical considerations, and similar to Pain and Hardwood’s investigation (2009), the group of soccer players’ parents was considered as a single case in order to obtain an overarching view of the study, and due to the fact that the parents share many experiences and circumstances. Participants and selection criteria The participants were parents of student soccer players aged between 16 and 18 who belong to the youth category of two first division soccer clubs. In total, 11 fathers and 15 mothers participated (N = 26): seven fathers and nine mothers belonging to one club (N = 16); and four fathers and six mothers belonging to another club (N = 10). We highlight the difference between fathers and mothers because their level of influence and involvement tend to be different (Torregrossa et al., 2007). The selection criteria were as follows: (a) being the parent of a student soccer player on track to pursue a Dual Higher Career (i.e. combining higher education and professional sport); Ramos-Agost et al., 2024 ; and (b) that their child had been at the club for more than two years so that they could assess the support they needed and gain an understanding of the club culture. Method This investigation forms part of the HeDuCa project (Promotion of Healthy Dual Career Pathways in Sport, 2018: RTI2018-095468-B-100) and has been approved by the Ethics Committee on Animal and Human Experimentation (CEEAH) of the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB, Barcelona, Spain) with reference number CEEAH 4996. First, the coordinators of each soccer club in the division were contacted to select participants, and it was decided that four focus groups would be sufficient to gather the necessary information: two groups of eight people from one club and two groups of five people from another (N = 26). Next, the interviewer, along with other colleagues from the GEPE research group (Sport and Exercise Psychology Research Group; UAB), contacted the families via email to inform them about the research. Four WhatsApp groups were then set up to finalise the dates and carry out the focus groups. Each focus group was held on a different day. The four sessions lasted two hours and were conducted and recorded using the zoom.us platform. Finally, the focus groups were transcribed verbatim. Focus groups This qualitative method was used so that each parent could share their perspective on different adverse circumstances that arose during their children’s soccer careers. Deen et al. ( 2017 ) noted that this qualitative method facilitates the collection of the information essential to understanding the experiences of the participants. The four focus groups included four sets of questions aimed at understanding how parents interpret support over the course of their children’s soccer careers. These questions covered the following aspects: (a) the most common adverse situations, (b) how they experience the adversities, (c) the difficulties they encounter, and (d) the resources that are needed. The aim was to identify the beliefs held by parents and the emotional, physiological, and behavioural consequences that these beliefs trigger. Analysis Data analysis was conducted based on the transcripts from the focus groups, using a deductive content analysis approach (Smith & Sparkes, 2009; Ronkainen & Wiltshire, 2021 ). The objective was to identify recurring beliefs among the parents of young soccer players and provide a practical example of REBT-based psychoeducational intervention. The situations that arose repeatedly in all focus groups were selected for analysis and were recognised by participants as highly significant in terms of their emotional impact and the difficulty of managing them. These situations were accompanied by representative quotations—those most frequently expressed and validated by other parents—reinforcing the contextual richness and collective nature of the shared experiences. The analysis was structured around the GABCDE framework of REBT (Ellis, 1957 ; Jordana & Turner, 2023 ), which enabled a systematic examination of: A: The most common adverse situations detected on and off the field. B: The beliefs triggered by those situations, understood as both individual and collective constructs (Ramos-Agost et al., 2025 ). C: The emotional, cognitive, and behavioural consequences of those beliefs. From a pragmatic perspective (Poucher et al., 2020 ), the analysis sought to understand how beliefs, whether adaptive or maladaptive, influenced parents’ interpretation of and response to adverse situations. The primary author, a professional psychologist who specialises in REBT, provided a theoretical and clinical framework to complement the interpretation of the experiences reported, thereby ensuring greater rigour in the identification of dysfunctional cognitive patterns. The results were then organised into thematic tables that displayed the relationships between the adverse situations (A), the underlying beliefs (B) and their emotional, cognitive and behavioural consequences (C). This organisational structure made it possible to clearly identify the problems most frequently encountered in the families of young soccer players. Furthermore, the discussion section will address cognitive strategies used by parents to either dispute or reinforce their beliefs (D), as well as the psychological competencies necessary to promote more effective and healthy beliefs (E). This part of the analysis is intended to guide future interventions aimed at fostering the development of adaptive coping styles among families, and thus facilitate effective support for both the athletic and academic careers of their children. Results Following a deductive content analysis, the data was organised and interpreted using the GABCDE framework integral to REBT (Ellis, 1957 ; Turner, 2023 ). This model enabled us to identify how the beliefs of parents influence their interpretation of various adverse situations associated with their children’s soccer development. The results revealed that maladaptive beliefs (B) were activated in specific situations (A) and triggered dysfunctional emotional, cognitive and behavioural responses (C) which hindered the achievement of personal goals (G). In contrast, when adaptive beliefs were held, more functional consequences were observed, aligned with healthy coping. In this context, the terms “adaptive” and “functional” were used to refer to responses that encourage better adaptation to circumstances, consistent with the parents’ goals. Adverse situations were classified into the following two main categories: (a) on the field: those directly related to the context of soccer training (e.g. training sessions, injuries, technical decisions); and (b) off the field: those related to club management, family dynamics, and academic and emotional factors that affect the experience of parental support (Jordana, Turner et al., 2023 ; Ramos-Agost et al., 2025 ). Table 1 displays the adverse situations on the field most frequently mentioned by parents. These include injuries and recovery processes, unexpected changes in training, and mental overload. Table 2 lists adversities off the field such as decision-making at the end of the season and club contracts, day-to-day organisation, comparisons between siblings, emotional support during periods of low morale, and decisions associated with pursuing a Dual Career after secondary education. The analysis using the GABCDE model allowed us to observe how certain beliefs tend to be shared among parents and thus become collective in nature (Ramos-Agost et al., 2025 ). Furthermore, it was found that the use of adaptive beliefs is linked to a greater ability to deal with the daily challenges of parental support in elite soccer. These findings reinforce the need for psychoeducational interventions that promote more flexible, realistic, and healthy cognitive and emotional strategies within the home environment. Table 1 Adverse situations “on the field” as perceived by parents of young soccer players Objective (G): to support their children in achieving their goals Adverse situation (A) Beliefs (B) Consequences (C) Emotional Cognitive Behavioural Their child has an injury and they feel that they cannot do anything more for them Maladaptive “We must know exactly how to respond”; “We must be in control of every detail.” Anxiety, panic Intolerance to frustration, concern about recovery Withdrawal, aggression Adaptive “We try to do all that we can, but we don’t have to be the perfect parent(s) to the perfect soccer player.” Annoyance, sense of sufficiency Greater attention, favourable internal dialogue Coping, assertiveness There are last-minute changes to training Maladaptive “We must make changes to our daily routine so that our children have everything they need to succeed.” Frustration, nervousness Extreme generalisations, intrusive thoughts Physical efforts, complaints Adaptive “We would like to make some changes so that our children can succeed, but if they are too detrimental to us, we will consider other alternatives.” Adaptive stress, calm Non-judgmental recognition, nuanced language based on facts More objective and compassionate communication They have to manage training and competition commitments (i.e. serve as taxi drivers on a continuous basis) Maladaptive “We must respond to all potential changes and needs on a daily basis”; “We must always look out for them.” overwhelmed, disproportionate anxiety Personal sense of responsibility, excessive concerns Disproportionate dedication, irritability Adaptive “We can help them and adapt to the situation, without forgetting that they have other siblings and that we have our own lives.” Stress, self-compassion Attention and emotional differentiation Proportional physical efforts The young soccer players compare themselves with their teammates and rivals. Maladaptive “We can see that they are struggling psychologically, and we are making huge financial and emotional efforts so that they do not give up or fail due to their mental state.” Disproportionate stress and anxiety Mind reading, awfulizing Disproportionate decision making, irritability Adaptive “We can see that they are struggling psychologically, and if we don’t know how to support them, we can seek professional help.” Anxiety, compassion Common concerns Self-compassion, willing to ask for help Table 2 Adverse situations “off the field” perceived by parents of young soccer players Goal (G): to support their children in achieving their goals Adverse situation (A) Beliefs (B) Consequences (C) Emotional Cognitive Behavioural The end of the season is approaching and decisions are being made about whether or not to stay on at the club. Maladaptive “We must urge them to give their all so that they can aspire to anything they desire and achieve their goals; otherwise, the time invested will have been a waste.” Stress, internal pressure Divine reward, all-or-nothing mindset Irritability and excessive physical activity Adaptive “We can express how happy we would be to see them pursue everything they wish for, while showing them how much they will learn and mature along the way, even if they don’t ultimately reach their ideal goals.” Trust in the process, resilience Open mind, realism Share expectations without pressure, compassionate actions They have to organise and plan their daily schedule (e.g. studies, sports, transport, other extracurricular activities). Maladaptive “We have to keep an eye on everything.” Emotional exhaustion, tension Excessive worry, magnification Hypervigilance, irritability Adaptive “We can keep an eye on them, but not necessarily in every area; they are capable of taking responsibility and acting independently.” Adaptive stress, sense of liberation Detachment, redirection of attention Delegate, promote autonomy There are comparisons between siblings. Maladaptive “They compare themselves, they see themselves as second-rate, and this is unbearable as we have to make huge efforts to prove this is not the case.” Helplessness, emotional exhaustion Blame, illusion of change Muscular tension, irritable communication Adaptive “Comparisons are to be expected; we can explain that they have different lifestyles and that they have to respect and support each other in the lives they lead.” Active empathy, sense of balance Normalisation, decreasing the power of thought Respect and compassion Decisions have to be made about dual careers (i.e. combining higher education and professional sport). Maladaptive “They have to study because they won’t make a living from soccer”; “At home we’ve told them that soccer does not count as a profession, a sporting career is too short.” Lack of confidence, disappointment Dismissal of the positive, minimisation Emotional invalidation, pressure Adaptive “We can explain that they should study because a sporting career is short and because studying is good for their personal development”; “I want my child to be happy and pursue their dream of becoming a soccer player, regardless of whether they succeed or not.” Interest, excitement Adaptive support and assessment Emotional validation, assertive communication Discussion In this study, we have observed that the most common adversities perceived by parents who support the soccer careers of their children can be grouped into two broad categories: those that occur on the field and those that occur off the field. This separation has allowed us to broaden the scope of family psychological support (Harwood & Knight, 2015 ; Knight et al., 2016)—traditionally centred on athletic performance—towards a more comprehensive perspective suggested in studies such as that of Jordana, Turner et al. ( 2023 ). The analysis that we have conducted using the GABCDE framework adds another level and seeks to identify underlying beliefs as both individual and collective psychological constructs (Ramos-Agost et al., 2025 ), which act as a mediating bridge between adverse situations (A) and behavioural responses (C), directly influencing the mental health of parents (King et al., 2022) and the quality of the support they provide to their children (G). On one hand, on the field, parents identified the following as the main sources of adversity: (a) sports injuries and recovery processes; (b) unexpected changes in training sessions and schedules; (c) the mental overload on a regular basis associated with travel and organisation; and (d) the comparisons that their children make with both teammates and rivals. In these cases, maladaptive beliefs revolved around absolute demands (“we must control every detail”) or catastrophic perceptions (“we cannot afford to fail”). These beliefs generated anxiety, disproportionate concern, and behaviours such as withdrawal, excessive involvement or aggression, which can affect both the overall well-being of the family and the quality of parental support (Harwood & Knight, 2015 , Ramos-Agost et al., 2025 ). In contrast, parents who shared adaptive beliefs (“we cannot be perfect, we simply need to do what we can”) responded with greater compassion, emotional clarity, and more assertive behaviours, and reflected better emotional well-being (King et al., 2022). On the other hand, situations off the field also included everyday adversities that have an impact on family life. The most common adverse situations were: (a) decision-making at the end of the season; (b) organising everyday life around studies, training and family; (c) comparisons between siblings; and (d) uncertainty regarding the dual career (i.e. combining soccer and higher education; Ramos-Agost et al., 2024 ). In these cases, maladaptive beliefs reflected fear of future failure (“if they don’t try hard, it will all have been a waste”), excessive control (“we have to keep an eye on everything”) or a diminished value of the sporting endeavour (“you can’t make a living from soccer”). These ideas were centred on uncompromising beliefs or inflexible expectations and triggered guilt, internal pressure, muscular tension, emotional invalidation, and hypervigilance. In a similar way to those experienced on the field, these maladaptive beliefs can trigger emotional overload and dysfunctional responses, and hinder parents from providing well-balanced support for their children (King et al., 2022; Rachael et al., 2020). In contrast, parents who rationalised these shared beliefs showed more adaptive, flexible and nuanced beliefs (e.g. “we can support them without controlling every detail”; “sport forms part of their development, whether or not they go on to become professionals”). In this regard, they shared that learning is part of a process that must be trusted, that encouraging independence in their children is essential and that it is possible to offer support without imposing their will as parents. In addition, it was concluded that emotional validation and clear communication are key to sustaining emotional balance and fostering a protective environment. The results demonstrate that maladaptive beliefs—based on rigid, absolutist, or irrational ideas—can exacerbate emotional distress for parents and be detrimental to both their emotional well-being and their ability to provide support. As suggested by previous studies on elite athletes (Dickson et al., 2019 ; Jordana & Turner, 2023 ), it is not the pursuit of excellence itself that is dysfunctional, but rather the demand for perfection as a non-negotiable obligation (e.g. “you must always perform”, “we can never fail”). During the focus groups, we identified (Poucher et al., 2020 ; Ronkainen & Wiltshire, 2021 ) psychological competencies related to these maladaptive beliefs that hinder the process of adaptation to adverse situations: cognitive rigidity, intolerance of uncertainty, external locus of control, intolerance of failure, disproportionate sense of responsibility, difficulty in planning, and particularly, a low capacity to accept a loss of control. These patterns can act as significant obstacles to functional coping (Tóth et al., 2022 ), and underline the need for interventions aimed at facilitating a rationalisation of these beliefs. In contrast, we also identified (Poucher et al., 2020 ; Ronkainen & Wiltshire, 2021 ) that some parents, when faced with similar situations, held adaptive beliefs based on more flexible and rational expectations, such as “we can do our best, even if not everything is under our control” or “we can support them without having all the answers.” Parents who verbalised these more adaptive beliefs tended to express greater tolerance of ambiguity, acknowledgement of errors, and acceptance of the process (“we can adapt, but without causing ourselves too much harm”). These beliefs were accompanied by a more self-compassionate and functional response, including the use of resources such as professional support and competencies such as acceptance, tolerance of uncertainty, a constructive internal dialogue, and more open and empathetic communication within the family. When present, these competencies not only enhance the well-being of parents, but also strengthen the emotional environment of young athletes, even in times of high pressure or uncertainty (Ramos-Agost et al., 2024 ). Using REBT (Ellis, 1957 ; Turner, 2023 ), this study proposes a specific application of the GABCDE framework to intervene in the coping styles of parents. For example, faced with the circumstances of an unexpected injury to their child (A), a parent who holds the belief “this will ruin their career and ours” (B) can learn to restructure the belief towards a more rational perspective, such as “this is difficult, but it’s part of the process and we can adapt” (E), through a structured disputation process (D). The disputation process would include sharing evidence for and against the belief, i.e. if they have evidence for what they believe (D). Furthermore, working on specific competencies would facilitate the development of new, more adaptive beliefs (E), as illustrated in the results, and this would enable parents to reconnect with their main goal (G): to support their children in their soccer development in an emotionally sustainable and healthy way. Moreover, the findings indicate that many of these maladaptive beliefs tend to be socially shared and normalised, accentuating their collective dimension and the need for a therapeutic approach that takes this component into account (Ramos-Agost et al., 2025 ). Therefore, the findings of this study offer valuable implications through the use of REBT. This psychological intervention provides an effective framework for intervention in the families of elite competitors that can be applied in both individual and group settings. The analysis leads to the conclusion that rationalising parents’ beliefs can protect not only their mental health, but also improve their capacity to provide a protective environment for the young athletes. The GABCDE model specifically provides a structured framework for working directly with parents’ beliefs, helping them recognise the impact these beliefs have on how they deal with different adversities that arises both on and off the field. From an applied perspective, REBT-based psychoeducation has been found to be a promising tool focused on developing skills such as cognitive flexibility, self-compassion, and tolerance of uncertainty. It has the aim of: (a) fostering more realistic, flexible, and emotionally sustainable beliefs (Mansell, 2023 ; Jordana et al., 2023 ), (b) strengthening the coping skills of families in highly competitive environments, and (c) achieving healthier and more emotionally sustainable support. Despite its important contribution, the study has some limitations. First, although adequate for a qualitative phenomenological design, the number of participants does not permit the findings to be generalised to the entire population of parents in elite sports contexts. Secondly, it is possible that the profile of participants was biased towards a level of family involvement that was higher than average. Finally, the group dynamic may have influenced the expression of certain beliefs due to social pressure or social desirability bias. Nonetheless, this group aspect also reinforces the value of analysing beliefs as both individual and collective, an emerging construct of growing interest in the current literature (Ramos-Agost et al., 2025 ). Future investigation should explore the differences between mothers and fathers in a comparative manner, (Torregrossa et al., 2007; Hernández et al., 2024) in the establishment and manifestation of expectations, as well as their differential impact on coping. In addition, we propose the design of quantitative or mixed-method studies to evaluate the effectiveness of REBT-based psychological interventions for the family setting, as conducted by Jordana et al. ( 2023 ) for athletes. It would also be pertinent to incorporate the perspective of soccer players themselves (Ramos-Agost et al., 2024 ), with the aim of triangulating the perception of the expectations of family members and designing more comprehensive and context-sensitive support programmes for families. In summary, this study highlights the need to address not only the practical demands of elite sport, but also the psychological and emotional environment of the family unit, promoting coping strategies based on more adaptive, functional and healthy beliefs. Conclusion The findings of this research provide a more in-depth understanding of how parents can better cope with the various adversities that arise—both on and off the field—during their children’s soccer development. The circumstances and coping patterns of parents were analysed using REBT. On the field, the most significant adverse situation was identified as the risk or presence of injuries in their children. In this case, the most adaptive belief was: “We try to do all that we can, but we don’t have to be the perfect parent(s) to the perfect soccer player.” This was associated with competencies such as emotional regulation, compassion, and assertiveness. Off the field, the most significant adverse situation was at the end of the season when decisions are made about whether or not to stay on at the club. Faced with this situation, the most adaptive and flexible belief identified was: “sport forms part of their development, whether or not they go on to become professionals”, reflecting competencies linked to higher tolerance of uncertainty, greater emotional acceptance, and more balanced support behaviours. These results suggest that REBT can function as an effective tool for identifying, questioning, and restructuring the beliefs of parents in order to help them recognise the impact these beliefs have on how they cope with the different adversities that emerge both on and off the field. They also reinforce the idea that family beliefs are not just individual constructs, but collective phenomena that are socially shared and normalised. Therefore, they stress the importance of addressing family beliefs from a holistic perspective in the face of different adversities that occur both on and off the field. Moreover, there is a need to design specific psychological interventions for the family in the context of elite sport. The goal is to improve the mental health of parents and foster support that is more conscious, sustainable and emotionally healthy, thus strengthening the role of the family as a protective environment for the holistic development of young athletes. Declarations Funding This work was supported by the R&D project HENAC Healthy Environments for High Sports Performance (PID2022-138242OB-I00) from the Ministry of Science and Innovation of the Spanish government. Author Contribution Conceptualization: N.R., A.J., & M.T.; Methodology: N.R.; Software: N.R.; Validation: N.R., A.J., & M.T.; Formal Analysis: N.R.; Investigation: N.R.; Resources: A.J. & M.T.; Data Management: N.R., A.J., & M.T.; Writing – Original Draft: N.R.; Writing – Review & Editing: A.J. & M.T.; Visualization: A.J. & M.T.; Supervision: A.J. & M.T.; Project Administration: A.J. & M.T. All authors have read and agree with the published version of the manuscript. References Brown, C. J., Webb, T. L., Robinson, M. A., & Cotgreave, R. (2019). Athletes’ retirement from elite sport: A qualitative study of parents and partners’ experiences. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 40, 51-60. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychsport.2018.09.005 Deen, S., Turner, M. J., & Wong, R. S. K. (2017). The effects of REBT, and the use of credos, on irrational beliefs and resilience qualities in athletes. The Sport Psychologist, 31(3), 249–263. https://doi.org/10.1123/tsp.2016-0057 Dickson, J. M., Mjrly, N. 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Journal of Rational-Emotive & Cognitive-Behavior Therapy, 1-24. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10942-022-00491-x Jordana, A., Torregrossa, M., & Ramis, Y. (2022). Una intervención TREC para la recuperación de actividad física saludable en exdeportistas de élite. Cuadernos de Psicología del Deporte, 22(3), 25-40. https://doi.org/10.6018/cpd.500611 Jordana, A., & Turner, M. J. (2023). Perfectionism in sport: A Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy perspective. The Psychology of Perfectionism in Sport, Dance, and Exercise (pp. 328-350). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003288015-16 Jordana, A., Turner, M. J., Ramis, Y., & Torregrossa, M. (2023). A systematic mapping review on the use of Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) with athletes. International Review of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 1-26. https://doi.org/10.1080/1750984X.2020.1836673 King, A. M., Turner, M. J., Plateau, C. R., & Barker, J. B. (2023). The socialisation of athlete irrational beliefs. Journal of Rational-Emotive & Cognitive-Behavior Therapy, 41(2), 290-313. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10942-022-00460-4 King, A. M., Plateau, C. R., Turner, M. J., Young, P., & Barker, J. B. (2024). A systematic review of the nature and efficacy of Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy interventions. Plos one, 19(7): Article e0306835. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0306835 Knight, C. J., Berrow, S. R., & Harwood, C. G. (2017). Parenting in sport. Current Opinion in Psychology, 16, 93-97. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.copsyc.2017.03.011 Mansell, P. (2023). Exploring how stress mindset, irrational beliefs, and stress appraisals relate to psychological wellbeing and performance under pressure [Unpublished doctoral dissertation]. University of Birmingham. Marques, R. F. R., Barker-Ruchti, N., Schubring, A., Marchi Júnior, W., Menezes, R. P., & Nunomura, M. (2022). Moving away: Intra-national migration experiences of Brazilian men elite futsal players during youth. International Review for the Sociology of Sport, 57(6), 940-959. https://doi.org/10.1177/1012690221104567 Mateu, P., Devís-Devís, J., Torregrossa, M., & Marques, R. F. R. (2024). A race against time: A critical analysis of elite student-athletes’ accelerated temporality through story completion. International Review for the Sociology of Sport, 60(2). https://doi.org/10.1177/10126902241268022 Milan, F. J., Knight, C. J., de Oliveira, L. M., Ciampolini, V., & Milistetd, M. (2024). An integrative review of parent education approaches in sport: Considerations for program planning and evaluation. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, 34(4), Article e14620. https://doi.org/10.1111/sms.14620 Harwood, C. G., & Knight, C. J. (2009). Understanding parental stressors: An investigation of British tennis parents. Journal of Sports Sciences, 27(4), 339–351. https://doi.org/10.1080/02640410802603871 Poucher, Z. A., Tamminen, K. A., Caron, J. G., & Sweet, S. N. (2020). Thinking through and designing qualitative research studies: a focused mapping review of 30 years of qualitative research in sport psychology. International Review of Sport and Exercise Psychology 13(1), 163–186. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.1080/1750984X.2019.1656276 Newport, R. A., Knight, C. J., & Love, T. D. (2020). The youth football journey: parents’ experiences and recommendations for support, Qualitative Research in Sport, Exercise and Health, 13(6). https://doi.org/10.1080/2159676X.2020.1833966 Ramos-Agost, N., Jordana, A. & Torregrossa, M. (2024). Is it possible to combine professional football and higher education after the age of 18? Apunts Educación Física y Deportes, 156, 1–9. https://doi.org/10.5672/apunts.2014-0983.es.(2024/2).156.01 Ramos-Agost, N., Jordana, A., & Torregrossa, M. (2025). “Si quieres ser profesional del fútbol no puedes estudiar”: una intervención para debatir creencias. Retos, 67, 136–149. https://doi.org/10.47197/retos.v67.111997 Ronkainen, N. J., & Wiltshire, G. (2021). Rethinking validity in qualitative sport and exercise psychology research: A realist perspective. International Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 19(1), 13–28. https://doi.org/10.1080/1612197X.2019.1637363 Smith, B., & Sparkes, A. C. (2017). Routledge Handbook of Qualitative Research in Sport and Exercise. London: Routledge. Stambulova, N. B., Ryba, T. V., & Henriksen, K. (2020). Career development and transitions of athletes: The International Society of Sport Psychology Position Stand revisited. International Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 19(4), 524–550. https://doi.org/10.1080/1612197X.2020.1737836 Tessitore, A., Capranica, L., Pesce, C., De Bois, N., Gjaka, M., Warrington, G., & Doupona, M. (2021). Parents about parenting dual career athletes: A systematic literature review. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 53, Article 101833. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychsport.2020.101833 Torregrosa, M., Cruz, J., Sousa, C., Viladrich, C., Villamarín, F., García-Mas, A., & Palou, P. (2007). La influencia de padres y madres en el compromiso deportivo de futbolistas jóvenes. Revista Latinoamericana de Psicología, 39(2), 227–237. Tóth, R., Turner, M. J., Kökény, T., & Tóth, L. (2022). “I must be perfect”: The role of irrational beliefs and perfectionism on the competitive anxiety of Hungarian athletes. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, Article 994126. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.994126 Turner, M. J. (2023). The Rational Practitioner: The Sport and Performance Psychologist’s Guide To Practicing Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy. Routledge. Webb, T., & Knight, C. J. (2023). Sports officials and parents as spectators: Diffusing tensions on the sidelines. Journal of Applied Sport Psychology, 36(4), 568–579. https://doi.org/10.1080/10413200.2023.2286952 Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. Our growing team is made up of researchers and industry professionals working together to solve the most critical problems facing scientific publishing. Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-7185469","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Case Report","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":495609347,"identity":"e732c0ff-f7e7-4486-9083-998f3c918330","order_by":0,"name":"Neus Ramos-Agost","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAAA60lEQVRIiWNgGAWjYHAD5gMka2FLYGBIgPMMiNHCY0CcFnP2HuPPFTXb5OTbz3z8zPvDJo9f7PADhh81f3Bqsew5YyZ55thtY4MzuZuleRLSiiVnpxkw9hzDbYvBjRwzxga224kbGHI3ALUcTtxwO8GAmYENj5b7b4w/Nvy7nTi//83j3xAt6R+YGf7hs4XHQLKx7XZiw40cNqgtOQbMjG14tJxJK5Ns7AP65cYzM8s5aWmJM2fnFBzs7TPGreX44c0fG77dlpPvT358442NTWK/dPrGBz++yeHUgh0cIFH9KBgFo2AUjAI0AADUllkGqHZHrwAAAABJRU5ErkJggg==","orcid":"","institution":"Autonomous University of Barcelona","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Neus","middleName":"","lastName":"Ramos-Agost","suffix":""},{"id":495609349,"identity":"2bd53530-8f6e-4c0c-b903-75f66c58275a","order_by":1,"name":"Anna Jordana Casas","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Autonomous University of Barcelona","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Anna","middleName":"Jordana","lastName":"Casas","suffix":""},{"id":495609355,"identity":"bf7845ef-a5b3-4f83-9def-dd921b135811","order_by":2,"name":"Miquel Torregrossa Álvarez","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Autonomous University of Barcelona","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Miquel","middleName":"Torregrossa","lastName":"Álvarez","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2025-07-22 09:53:11","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-7185469/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7185469/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":88592003,"identity":"3ea3e27c-9a23-42b8-b915-c343c45c3e27","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-08-08 05:54:05","extension":"pdf","order_by":0,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":637320,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"manuscript.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7185469/v1/ab84fe2b-e713-4d2b-a4f2-698f785d9b6b.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"No competing interests reported.","formattedTitle":"Must We Control Every Detail? Beliefs Among Parents of Elite Soccer Players","fulltext":[{"header":"Introduction","content":"\u003cp\u003eThe demands of competitive sport require a considerable level of commitment not only from athletes (Marques et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR19\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e), but also from those closest to them, and especially from their families (Elliott \u0026amp; Drummond, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR5\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2017\u003c/span\u003e; Ramos-Agost et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR25\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2024\u003c/span\u003e). Parents, in particular, play a central role over the course of their children’s athletic careers (Tessitore et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR30\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2021\u003c/span\u003e). In this regard, they often take on a high level of emotional, practical and organisational involvement to help their children achieve their goals and obtain other forms of recognition (Webb \u0026amp; Knight, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR34\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e; Mateu et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR20\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2024\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eA number of recent studies (e.g. Hobson et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR9\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e; Milan et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR21\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2024\u003c/span\u003e) have demonstrated that parents of young athletes tend to adopt highly stringent attitudes regarding their own role and responsibility in achieving their children’s sporting goals. In fact, there is evidence that some parents tend to adopt a demand-oriented approach, imposing efforts and changes to both personal and family routines in the pursuit of their children’s goals (Brown et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR1\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2019\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAlthough parental involvement is usually well-intentioned, it can be deeply influenced by beliefs about the performance and success that they believe their children should accomplish (King et al., 2022; Tessitore et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR30\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2021\u003c/span\u003e). Within the framework of Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy (REBT), developed by Ellis (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR6\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1957\u003c/span\u003e), beliefs are not deemed to be neutral elements, but rather reflections of rational or irrational cognitions that shape the interpretation of events, as well as the emotional and behavioural responses that derive from them. Beliefs can include personal values, norms, and rules, and tend to reflect what a person thinks \u003cem\u003eshould\u003c/em\u003e happen, rather than what is objectively possible or realistic.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAccording to some of the applications of REBT to sport (Jordana et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR11\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e), there are two types of beliefs that condition a person’s mental health and therefore, affect the activation of expectations and the adaptation to the circumstances and context. On one hand, we find irrational beliefs, which are rigid, extreme, absolute, and illogical; and when expectations are not met, this can lead to intense and dysfunctional emotions, such as anxiety or frustration, and prove to be maladaptive and unhealthy. For example, “demandingness” is an irrational belief (e.g. “my child must perform well”). In contrast, rational beliefs are flexible, they are not extreme, and they are logically supported. When expectations are not met, they help the person adopt a more functional, adaptive, and healthy perspective. In this case, “preference” is the alternative to “demandingness” and desires are prioritised over demands (e.g. “I would like my child to perform well but it is not an absolute necessity”). In this study, we consider that beliefs influence the way in which parents approach adversity in the context of elite sport.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMaladaptive beliefs have been identified as a key focus for therapeutic intervention in the field of sport, as they hinder the achievement of personal goals and have a negative effect on emotional well-being (Mansell, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR18\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e). However, even though the influence of irrational beliefs on athletes has been widely documented (Jordana et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR11\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e), there is still limited data examining the management of this phenomenon in parents (King et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR16\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2024\u003c/span\u003e). The work of Jordana and Turner (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR13\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e), for example, showed that REBT can be effectively applied to athletes’ beliefs and thus supports better adaptation to adverse situations. However, no study has addressed this issue from the perspective of parents, who also face emotional, practical and relational challenges and perform a crucial role in the athletic development of their children (Knight et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR17\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2017\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eTo date, although some studies (e.g. Jordana \u0026amp; Turner, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR13\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e; King et al. 2022; Turner, 2019) have explained the importance of studying the beliefs of athletes at the micro level (e.g. family members, coaches), the literature has so far only demonstrated that parents share certain perspectives, beliefs, and behaviours influenced by specific sociocultural factors in the sports context (Elliott \u0026amp; Drummond, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR4\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2013\u003c/span\u003e; King et al. 2022). This research goes one step further and considers the relevance of exploring whether parents’ reactions to adverse circumstances are mediated: (a) by an adaptive response to the context of elite sport, aimed at facilitating their children’s goals; or, on the contrary, (b) by the need to comply with maladaptive beliefs derived from the beliefs of perfectionism. Addressing this distinction is of crucial importance, given that it would help to explain the effort and dedication required by adaptive beliefs and the emotional exhaustion and ineffectiveness associated with the pursuit of idealised goals sustained by maladaptive beliefs (Tóth et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR32\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e), with the aim of fostering adaptive beliefs to facilitate better support.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe objective of this study is to explore how parents deal with adversities associated with their children’s soccer development, with the aim of identifying adaptive response patterns. Furthermore, the use of REBT as a therapeutic framework is proposed to help families restructure their expectations and rationalise their beliefs with the aim of facilitating healthier and more sustainable emotional support. Consequently, the ultimate goal of this research is to strengthen the family unit as a protective environment to foster the healthy and holistic development of young soccer players.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Methodology","content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eDesign\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis study is phenomenological and instrumental (Smith \u0026amp; Sparkes, 2016) in design. The reason for this is because the analysis focused on the experiences of parents of elite athletes regarding their expectations while supporting their children to achieve their rigorous goals. Smith and Sparkes’ study (2017) explained that this type of investigation observes how participants experience the world. Accordingly, our study conducted the minimum number of focus groups, and each group was composed of a sufficient number of participants in order to obtain the content needed to explore, understand, and structure the experience. This design is the same as that used by other investigations such as the study by Hodge et al. (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR10\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2014\u003c/span\u003e) and by Ramos-Agost et al. (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR25\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2024\u003c/span\u003e), in which the investigator is tasked with interpreting the data collected, that is, the researcher is the reflective instrument (Poucher et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR23\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2020\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSampling was an intentional process based on practical considerations, and similar to Pain and Hardwood’s investigation (2009), the group of soccer players’ parents was considered as a single case in order to obtain an overarching view of the study, and due to the fact that the parents share many experiences and circumstances.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eParticipants and selection criteria\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe participants were parents of student soccer players aged between 16 and 18 who belong to the youth category of two first division soccer clubs. In total, 11 fathers and 15 mothers participated (N = 26): seven fathers and nine mothers belonging to one club (N = 16); and four fathers and six mothers belonging to another club (N = 10). We highlight the difference between fathers and mothers because their level of influence and involvement tend to be different (Torregrossa et al., 2007).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe selection criteria were as follows: (a) being the parent of a student soccer player on track to pursue a Dual Higher Career (i.e. combining higher education and professional sport); Ramos-Agost et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR25\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2024\u003c/span\u003e; and (b) that their child had been at the club for more than two years so that they could assess the support they needed and gain an understanding of the club culture.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eMethod\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis investigation forms part of the HeDuCa project (Promotion of Healthy Dual Career Pathways in Sport, 2018: RTI2018-095468-B-100) and has been approved by the Ethics Committee on Animal and Human Experimentation (CEEAH) of the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB, Barcelona, Spain) with reference number CEEAH 4996.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFirst, the coordinators of each soccer club in the division were contacted to select participants, and it was decided that four focus groups would be sufficient to gather the necessary information: two groups of eight people from one club and two groups of five people from another (N = 26).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eNext, the interviewer, along with other colleagues from the GEPE research group (Sport and Exercise Psychology Research Group; UAB), contacted the families via email to inform them about the research. Four WhatsApp groups were then set up to finalise the dates and carry out the focus groups. Each focus group was held on a different day. The four sessions lasted two hours and were conducted and recorded using the \u003cem\u003ezoom.us\u003c/em\u003e platform. Finally, the focus groups were transcribed verbatim.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eFocus groups\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis qualitative method was used so that each parent could share their perspective on different adverse circumstances that arose during their children’s soccer careers. Deen et al. (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR2\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2017\u003c/span\u003e) noted that this qualitative method facilitates the collection of the information essential to understanding the experiences of the participants.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe four focus groups included four sets of questions aimed at understanding how parents interpret support over the course of their children’s soccer careers. These questions covered the following aspects: (a) the most common adverse situations, (b) how they experience the adversities, (c) the difficulties they encounter, and (d) the resources that are needed. The aim was to identify the beliefs held by parents and the emotional, physiological, and behavioural consequences that these beliefs trigger.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eAnalysis\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eData analysis was conducted based on the transcripts from the focus groups, using a deductive content analysis approach (Smith \u0026amp; Sparkes, 2009; Ronkainen \u0026amp; Wiltshire, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR27\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2021\u003c/span\u003e). The objective was to identify recurring beliefs among the parents of young soccer players and provide a practical example of REBT-based psychoeducational intervention.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e The situations that arose repeatedly in all focus groups were selected for analysis and were recognised by participants as highly significant in terms of their emotional impact and the difficulty of managing them. These situations were accompanied by representative quotations—those most frequently expressed and validated by other parents—reinforcing the contextual richness and collective nature of the shared experiences.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe analysis was structured around the GABCDE framework of REBT (Ellis, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR6\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1957\u003c/span\u003e; Jordana \u0026amp; Turner, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR13\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e), which enabled a systematic examination of:\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eA: The most common adverse situations detected on and off the field.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eB: The beliefs triggered by those situations, understood as both individual and collective constructs (Ramos-Agost et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR26\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2025\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eC: The emotional, cognitive, and behavioural consequences of those beliefs.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFrom a pragmatic perspective (Poucher et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR23\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2020\u003c/span\u003e), the analysis sought to understand how beliefs, whether adaptive or maladaptive, influenced parents’ interpretation of and response to adverse situations. The primary author, a professional psychologist who specialises in REBT, provided a theoretical and clinical framework to complement the interpretation of the experiences reported, thereby ensuring greater rigour in the identification of dysfunctional cognitive patterns.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe results were then organised into thematic tables that displayed the relationships between the adverse situations (A), the underlying beliefs (B) and their emotional, cognitive and behavioural consequences (C). This organisational structure made it possible to clearly identify the problems most frequently encountered in the families of young soccer players.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFurthermore, the discussion section will address cognitive strategies used by parents to either dispute or reinforce their beliefs (D), as well as the psychological competencies necessary to promote more effective and healthy beliefs (E). This part of the analysis is intended to guide future interventions aimed at fostering the development of adaptive coping styles among families, and thus facilitate effective support for both the athletic and academic careers of their children.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Results","content":"\u003cp\u003eFollowing a deductive content analysis, the data was organised and interpreted using the GABCDE framework integral to REBT (Ellis, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR6\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1957\u003c/span\u003e; Turner, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR33\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e). This model enabled us to identify how the beliefs of parents influence their interpretation of various adverse situations associated with their children\u0026rsquo;s soccer development.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe results revealed that maladaptive beliefs (B) were activated in specific situations (A) and triggered dysfunctional emotional, cognitive and behavioural responses (C) which hindered the achievement of personal goals (G). In contrast, when adaptive beliefs were held, more functional consequences were observed, aligned with healthy coping. In this context, the terms \u0026ldquo;adaptive\u0026rdquo; and \u0026ldquo;functional\u0026rdquo; were used to refer to responses that encourage better adaptation to circumstances, consistent with the parents\u0026rsquo; goals.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAdverse situations were classified into the following two main categories: (a) on the field: those directly related to the context of soccer training (e.g. training sessions, injuries, technical decisions); and (b) off the field: those related to club management, family dynamics, and academic and emotional factors that affect the experience of parental support (Jordana, Turner et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR14\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e; Ramos-Agost et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR26\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2025\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eTable\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab1\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e displays the adverse situations on the field most frequently mentioned by parents. These include injuries and recovery processes, unexpected changes in training, and mental overload.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eTable\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab2\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003e lists adversities off the field such as decision-making at the end of the season and club contracts, day-to-day organisation, comparisons between siblings, emotional support during periods of low morale, and decisions associated with pursuing a Dual Career after secondary education.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe analysis using the GABCDE model allowed us to observe how certain beliefs tend to be shared among parents and thus become collective in nature (Ramos-Agost et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR26\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2025\u003c/span\u003e). Furthermore, it was found that the use of adaptive beliefs is linked to a greater ability to deal with the daily challenges of parental support in elite soccer. These findings reinforce the need for psychoeducational interventions that promote more flexible, realistic, and healthy cognitive and emotional strategies within the home environment.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab1\" border=\"1\"\u003e\u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 1\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eAdverse situations \u0026ldquo;on the field\u0026rdquo; as perceived by parents of young soccer players\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/caption\u003e\u003ccolgroup cols=\"5\"\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c5\" colnum=\"5\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cthead\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colspan=\"5\" nameend=\"c5\" namest=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eObjective (G): to support their children in achieving their goals\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/thead\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eAdverse situation (A)\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eBeliefs (B)\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"3\" nameend=\"c5\" namest=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eConsequences (C)\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eEmotional\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eCognitive\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eBehavioural\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eTheir child has an injury and they feel that they cannot do anything more for them\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eMaladaptive\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;We must know exactly how to respond\u0026rdquo;;\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;We must be in control of every detail.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eAnxiety, panic\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eIntolerance to frustration, concern about recovery\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eWithdrawal,\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eaggression\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eAdaptive\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;We try to do all that we can, but we don\u0026rsquo;t have to be the perfect parent(s) to the perfect soccer player.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eAnnoyance, sense of sufficiency\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eGreater attention, favourable internal dialogue\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eCoping, assertiveness\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eThere are last-minute changes to training\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eMaladaptive\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;We must make changes to our daily routine so that our children have everything they need to succeed.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eFrustration, nervousness\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eExtreme generalisations, intrusive thoughts\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003ePhysical efforts, complaints\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eAdaptive\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;We would like to make some changes so that our children can succeed, but if they are too detrimental to us, we will consider other alternatives.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eAdaptive stress, calm\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eNon-judgmental recognition, nuanced language based on facts\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eMore objective and compassionate communication\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eThey have to manage training and competition commitments (i.e. serve as taxi drivers on a continuous basis)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eMaladaptive\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;We must respond to all potential changes and needs on a daily basis\u0026rdquo;; \u0026ldquo;We must always look out for them.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eoverwhelmed, disproportionate anxiety\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003ePersonal sense of responsibility, excessive concerns\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eDisproportionate dedication, irritability\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eAdaptive\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;We can help them and adapt to the situation, without forgetting that they have other siblings and that we have our own lives.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eStress, self-compassion\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eAttention and emotional differentiation\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eProportional physical efforts\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe young soccer players compare themselves with their teammates and rivals.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eMaladaptive\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;We can see that they are struggling psychologically, and we are making huge financial and emotional efforts so that they do not give up or fail due to their mental state.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eDisproportionate stress and anxiety\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eMind reading, awfulizing\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eDisproportionate decision making, irritability\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eAdaptive\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;We can see that they are struggling psychologically, and if we don\u0026rsquo;t know how to support them, we can seek professional help.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eAnxiety, compassion\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eCommon concerns\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSelf-compassion, willing to ask for help\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/colgroup\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab2\" border=\"1\"\u003e\u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 2\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eAdverse situations \u0026ldquo;off the field\u0026rdquo; perceived by parents of young soccer players\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/caption\u003e\u003ccolgroup cols=\"5\"\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c5\" colnum=\"5\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cthead\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colspan=\"5\" nameend=\"c5\" namest=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eGoal (G): to support their children in achieving their goals\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/thead\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eAdverse situation (A)\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eBeliefs (B)\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"3\" nameend=\"c5\" namest=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eConsequences (C)\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eEmotional\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eCognitive\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eBehavioural\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe end of the season is approaching and decisions are being made about whether or not to stay on at the club.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eMaladaptive\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;We must urge them to give their all so that they can aspire to anything they desire and achieve their goals; otherwise, the time invested will have been a waste.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eStress, internal pressure\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eDivine reward, all-or-nothing mindset\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eIrritability and excessive physical activity\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eAdaptive\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;We can express how happy we would be to see them pursue everything they wish for, while showing them how much they will learn and mature along the way, even if they don\u0026rsquo;t ultimately reach their ideal goals.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eTrust in the process, resilience\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eOpen mind, realism\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eShare expectations without pressure, compassionate actions\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eThey have to organise and plan their daily schedule (e.g. studies, sports, transport, other extracurricular activities).\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eMaladaptive\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;We have to keep an eye on everything.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eEmotional exhaustion, tension\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eExcessive worry, magnification\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eHypervigilance, irritability\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eAdaptive\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;We can keep an eye on them, but not necessarily in every area; they are capable of taking responsibility and acting independently.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eAdaptive stress, sense of liberation\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eDetachment, redirection of attention\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eDelegate, promote autonomy\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eThere are comparisons between siblings.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eMaladaptive\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;They compare themselves, they see themselves as second-rate, and this is unbearable as we have to make huge efforts to prove this is not the case.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eHelplessness, emotional exhaustion\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eBlame, illusion of change\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eMuscular tension, irritable communication\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eAdaptive\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Comparisons are to be expected; we can explain that they have different lifestyles and that they have to respect and support each other in the lives they lead.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eActive empathy, sense of balance\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eNormalisation, decreasing the power of thought\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eRespect and compassion\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eDecisions have to be made about dual careers (i.e. combining higher education and professional sport).\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eMaladaptive\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;They have to study because they won\u0026rsquo;t make a living from soccer\u0026rdquo;; \u0026ldquo;At home we\u0026rsquo;ve told them that soccer does not count as a profession, a sporting career is too short.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eLack of confidence, disappointment\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eDismissal of the positive, minimisation\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eEmotional invalidation, pressure\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eAdaptive\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;We can explain that they should study because a sporting career is short and because studying is good for their personal development\u0026rdquo;; \u0026ldquo;I want my child to be happy and pursue their dream of becoming a soccer player, regardless of whether they succeed or not.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eInterest, excitement\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eAdaptive support and assessment\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eEmotional validation, assertive communication\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/colgroup\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Discussion","content":"\u003cp\u003eIn this study, we have observed that the most common adversities perceived by parents who support the soccer careers of their children can be grouped into two broad categories: those that occur on the field and those that occur off the field. This separation has allowed us to broaden the scope of family psychological support (Harwood \u0026amp; Knight, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR7\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2015\u003c/span\u003e; Knight et al., 2016)\u0026mdash;traditionally centred on athletic performance\u0026mdash;towards a more comprehensive perspective suggested in studies such as that of Jordana, Turner et al. (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR14\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe analysis that we have conducted using the GABCDE framework adds another level and seeks to identify underlying beliefs as both individual and collective psychological constructs (Ramos-Agost et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR26\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2025\u003c/span\u003e), which act as a mediating bridge between adverse situations (A) and behavioural responses (C), directly influencing the mental health of parents (King et al., 2022) and the quality of the support they provide to their children (G).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOn one hand, on the field, parents identified the following as the main sources of adversity: (a) sports injuries and recovery processes; (b) unexpected changes in training sessions and schedules; (c) the mental overload on a regular basis associated with travel and organisation; and (d) the comparisons that their children make with both teammates and rivals. In these cases, maladaptive beliefs revolved around absolute demands (\u0026ldquo;we must control every detail\u0026rdquo;) or catastrophic perceptions (\u0026ldquo;we cannot afford to fail\u0026rdquo;). These beliefs generated anxiety, disproportionate concern, and behaviours such as withdrawal, excessive involvement or aggression, which can affect both the overall well-being of the family and the quality of parental support (Harwood \u0026amp; Knight, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR7\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2015\u003c/span\u003e, Ramos-Agost et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR26\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2025\u003c/span\u003e). In contrast, parents who shared adaptive beliefs (\u0026ldquo;we cannot be perfect, we simply need to do what we can\u0026rdquo;) responded with greater compassion, emotional clarity, and more assertive behaviours, and reflected better emotional well-being (King et al., 2022).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOn the other hand, situations off the field also included everyday adversities that have an impact on family life. The most common adverse situations were: (a) decision-making at the end of the season; (b) organising everyday life around studies, training and family; (c) comparisons between siblings; and (d) uncertainty regarding the dual career (i.e. combining soccer and higher education; Ramos-Agost et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR25\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2024\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn these cases, maladaptive beliefs reflected fear of future failure (\u0026ldquo;if they don\u0026rsquo;t try hard, it will all have been a waste\u0026rdquo;), excessive control (\u0026ldquo;we have to keep an eye on everything\u0026rdquo;) or a diminished value of the sporting endeavour (\u0026ldquo;you can\u0026rsquo;t make a living from soccer\u0026rdquo;). These ideas were centred on uncompromising beliefs or inflexible expectations and triggered guilt, internal pressure, muscular tension, emotional invalidation, and hypervigilance. In a similar way to those experienced on the field, these maladaptive beliefs can trigger emotional overload and dysfunctional responses, and hinder parents from providing well-balanced support for their children (King et al., 2022; Rachael et al., 2020). In contrast, parents who rationalised these shared beliefs showed more adaptive, flexible and nuanced beliefs (e.g. \u0026ldquo;we can support them without controlling every detail\u0026rdquo;; \u0026ldquo;sport forms part of their development, whether or not they go on to become professionals\u0026rdquo;). In this regard, they shared that learning is part of a process that must be trusted, that encouraging independence in their children is essential and that it is possible to offer support without imposing their will as parents. In addition, it was concluded that emotional validation and clear communication are key to sustaining emotional balance and fostering a protective environment.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe results demonstrate that maladaptive beliefs\u0026mdash;based on rigid, absolutist, or irrational ideas\u0026mdash;can exacerbate emotional distress for parents and be detrimental to both their emotional well-being and their ability to provide support. As suggested by previous studies on elite athletes (Dickson et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR3\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2019\u003c/span\u003e; Jordana \u0026amp; Turner, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR13\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e), it is not the pursuit of excellence itself that is dysfunctional, but rather the demand for perfection as a non-negotiable obligation (e.g. \u0026ldquo;you must always perform\u0026rdquo;, \u0026ldquo;we can never fail\u0026rdquo;). During the focus groups, we identified (Poucher et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR23\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2020\u003c/span\u003e; Ronkainen \u0026amp; Wiltshire, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR27\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2021\u003c/span\u003e) psychological competencies related to these maladaptive beliefs that hinder the process of adaptation to adverse situations: cognitive rigidity, intolerance of uncertainty, external locus of control, intolerance of failure, disproportionate sense of responsibility, difficulty in planning, and particularly, a low capacity to accept a loss of control. These patterns can act as significant obstacles to functional coping (T\u0026oacute;th et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR32\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e), and underline the need for interventions aimed at facilitating a rationalisation of these beliefs.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn contrast, we also identified (Poucher et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR23\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2020\u003c/span\u003e; Ronkainen \u0026amp; Wiltshire, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR27\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2021\u003c/span\u003e) that some parents, when faced with similar situations, held adaptive beliefs based on more flexible and rational expectations, such as \u0026ldquo;we can do our best, even if not everything is under our control\u0026rdquo; or \u0026ldquo;we can support them without having all the answers.\u0026rdquo; Parents who verbalised these more adaptive beliefs tended to express greater tolerance of ambiguity, acknowledgement of errors, and acceptance of the process (\u0026ldquo;we can adapt, but without causing ourselves too much harm\u0026rdquo;). These beliefs were accompanied by a more self-compassionate and functional response, including the use of resources such as professional support and competencies such as acceptance, tolerance of uncertainty, a constructive internal dialogue, and more open and empathetic communication within the family. When present, these competencies not only enhance the well-being of parents, but also strengthen the emotional environment of young athletes, even in times of high pressure or uncertainty (Ramos-Agost et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR25\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2024\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eUsing REBT (Ellis, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR6\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1957\u003c/span\u003e; Turner, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR33\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e), this study proposes a specific application of the GABCDE framework to intervene in the coping styles of parents. For example, faced with the circumstances of an unexpected injury to their child (A), a parent who holds the belief \u0026ldquo;this will ruin their career and ours\u0026rdquo; (B) can learn to restructure the belief towards a more rational perspective, such as \u0026ldquo;this is difficult, but it\u0026rsquo;s part of the process and we can adapt\u0026rdquo; (E), through a structured disputation process (D). The disputation process would include sharing evidence for and against the belief, i.e. if they have evidence for what they believe (D). Furthermore, working on specific competencies would facilitate the development of new, more adaptive beliefs (E), as illustrated in the results, and this would enable parents to reconnect with their main goal (G): to support their children in their soccer development in an emotionally sustainable and healthy way. Moreover, the findings indicate that many of these maladaptive beliefs tend to be socially shared and normalised, accentuating their collective dimension and the need for a therapeutic approach that takes this component into account (Ramos-Agost et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR26\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2025\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eTherefore, the findings of this study offer valuable implications through the use of REBT. This psychological intervention provides an effective framework for intervention in the families of elite competitors that can be applied in both individual and group settings. The analysis leads to the conclusion that rationalising parents\u0026rsquo; beliefs can protect not only their mental health, but also improve their capacity to provide a protective environment for the young athletes. The GABCDE model specifically provides a structured framework for working directly with parents\u0026rsquo; beliefs, helping them recognise the impact these beliefs have on how they deal with different adversities that arises both on and off the field. From an applied perspective, REBT-based psychoeducation has been found to be a promising tool focused on developing skills such as cognitive flexibility, self-compassion, and tolerance of uncertainty. It has the aim of: (a) fostering more realistic, flexible, and emotionally sustainable beliefs (Mansell, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR18\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e; Jordana et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR11\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e), (b) strengthening the coping skills of families in highly competitive environments, and (c) achieving healthier and more emotionally sustainable support.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDespite its important contribution, the study has some limitations. First, although adequate for a qualitative phenomenological design, the number of participants does not permit the findings to be generalised to the entire population of parents in elite sports contexts. Secondly, it is possible that the profile of participants was biased towards a level of family involvement that was higher than average. Finally, the group dynamic may have influenced the expression of certain beliefs due to social pressure or social desirability bias. Nonetheless, this group aspect also reinforces the value of analysing beliefs as both individual and collective, an emerging construct of growing interest in the current literature (Ramos-Agost et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR26\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2025\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFuture investigation should explore the differences between mothers and fathers in a comparative manner, (Torregrossa et al., 2007; Hern\u0026aacute;ndez et al., 2024) in the establishment and manifestation of expectations, as well as their differential impact on coping. In addition, we propose the design of quantitative or mixed-method studies to evaluate the effectiveness of REBT-based psychological interventions for the family setting, as conducted by Jordana et al. (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR11\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e) for athletes. It would also be pertinent to incorporate the perspective of soccer players themselves (Ramos-Agost et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR25\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2024\u003c/span\u003e), with the aim of triangulating the perception of the expectations of family members and designing more comprehensive and context-sensitive support programmes for families.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn summary, this study highlights the need to address not only the practical demands of elite sport, but also the psychological and emotional environment of the family unit, promoting coping strategies based on more adaptive, functional and healthy beliefs.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Conclusion","content":"\u003cp\u003eThe findings of this research provide a more in-depth understanding of how parents can better cope with the various adversities that arise\u0026mdash;both on and off the field\u0026mdash;during their children\u0026rsquo;s soccer development. The circumstances and coping patterns of parents were analysed using REBT. On the field, the most significant adverse situation was identified as the risk or presence of injuries in their children. In this case, the most adaptive belief was: \u0026ldquo;We try to do all that we can, but we don\u0026rsquo;t have to be the perfect parent(s) to the perfect soccer player.\u0026rdquo; This was associated with competencies such as emotional regulation, compassion, and assertiveness. Off the field, the most significant adverse situation was at the end of the season when decisions are made about whether or not to stay on at the club. Faced with this situation, the most adaptive and flexible belief identified was: \u0026ldquo;sport forms part of their development, whether or not they go on to become professionals\u0026rdquo;, reflecting competencies linked to higher tolerance of uncertainty, greater emotional acceptance, and more balanced support behaviours. These results suggest that REBT can function as an effective tool for identifying, questioning, and restructuring the beliefs of parents in order to help them recognise the impact these beliefs have on how they cope with the different adversities that emerge both on and off the field. They also reinforce the idea that family beliefs are not just individual constructs, but collective phenomena that are socially shared and normalised. Therefore, they stress the importance of addressing family beliefs from a holistic perspective in the face of different adversities that occur both on and off the field. Moreover, there is a need to design specific psychological interventions for the family in the context of elite sport. The goal is to improve the mental health of parents and foster support that is more conscious, sustainable and emotionally healthy, thus strengthening the role of the family as a protective environment for the holistic development of young athletes.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Declarations","content":"\u003ch2\u003eFunding\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis work was supported by the R\u0026amp;D project HENAC Healthy Environments for High Sports Performance (PID2022-138242OB-I00) from the Ministry of Science and Innovation of the Spanish government.\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eAuthor Contribution\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eConceptualization: N.R., A.J., \u0026amp; M.T.; Methodology: N.R.; Software: N.R.; Validation: N.R., A.J., \u0026amp; M.T.; Formal Analysis: N.R.; Investigation: N.R.; Resources: A.J. \u0026amp; M.T.; Data Management: N.R., A.J., \u0026amp; M.T.; Writing \u0026ndash; Original Draft: N.R.; Writing \u0026ndash; Review \u0026amp; Editing: A.J. \u0026amp; M.T.; Visualization: A.J. \u0026amp; M.T.; Supervision: A.J. \u0026amp; M.T.; Project Administration: A.J. \u0026amp; M.T. All authors have read and agree with the published version of the manuscript.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"References","content":"\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBrown, C. J., Webb, T. L., Robinson, M. A., \u0026amp; Cotgreave, R. (2019). Athletes\u0026rsquo; retirement from elite sport: A qualitative study of parents and partners\u0026rsquo; experiences. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 40, 51-60. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychsport.2018.09.005\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDeen, S., Turner, M. J., \u0026amp; Wong, R. S. K. (2017). The effects of REBT, and the use of credos, on irrational beliefs and resilience qualities in athletes. The Sport Psychologist, 31(3), 249\u0026ndash;263. https://doi.org/10.1123/tsp.2016-0057\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDickson, J. M., Mjrly, N. J., \u0026amp; Huntley, C. D. (2019). Rumination selectively mediates the association between actual-ideal (but not actual-ought) self-discrepancy and anxious and depressive symptoms. 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International Review for the Sociology of Sport, 60(2). https://doi.org/10.1177/10126902241268022\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMilan, F. J., Knight, C. J., de Oliveira, L. M., Ciampolini, V., \u0026amp; Milistetd, M. (2024). An integrative review of parent education approaches in sport: Considerations for program planning and evaluation. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine \u0026amp; Science in Sports, 34(4), Article e14620. https://doi.org/10.1111/sms.14620\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHarwood, C. G., \u0026amp; Knight, C. J. (2009). Understanding parental stressors: An investigation of British tennis parents. Journal of Sports Sciences, 27(4), 339\u0026ndash;351. https://doi.org/10.1080/02640410802603871 \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePoucher, Z. A., Tamminen, K. A., Caron, J. G., \u0026amp; Sweet, S. N. (2020). Thinking through and designing qualitative research studies: a focused mapping review of 30 years of qualitative research in sport psychology. International Review of Sport and Exercise Psychology 13(1), 163\u0026ndash;186. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.1080/1750984X.2019.1656276 \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eNewport, R. A., Knight, C. J., \u0026amp; Love, T. D. (2020). The youth football journey: parents\u0026rsquo; experiences and recommendations for support, Qualitative Research in Sport, Exercise and Health, 13(6). https://doi.org/10.1080/2159676X.2020.1833966\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRamos-Agost, N., Jordana, A. \u0026amp; Torregrossa, M. (2024). Is it possible to combine professional football and higher education after the age of 18? Apunts Educaci\u0026oacute;n F\u0026iacute;sica y Deportes, 156, 1\u0026ndash;9. https://doi.org/10.5672/apunts.2014-0983.es.(2024/2).156.01 \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRamos-Agost, N., Jordana, A., \u0026amp; Torregrossa, M. (2025). \u0026ldquo;Si quieres ser profesional del f\u0026uacute;tbol no puedes estudiar\u0026rdquo;: una intervenci\u0026oacute;n para debatir creencias. 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(2022). \u0026ldquo;I must be perfect\u0026rdquo;: The role of irrational beliefs and perfectionism on the competitive anxiety of Hungarian athletes. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, Article 994126. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.994126\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTurner, M. J. (2023). The Rational Practitioner: The Sport and Performance Psychologist\u0026rsquo;s Guide To Practicing Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy. Routledge.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWebb, T., \u0026amp; Knight, C. J. (2023). Sports officials and parents as spectators: Diffusing tensions on the sidelines. Journal of Applied Sport Psychology, 36(4), 568\u0026ndash;579. https://doi.org/10.1080/10413200.2023.2286952\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ol\u003e"}],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":true,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":true,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":true,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":false,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":false,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"REBT, elite sport, support, family, soccer, mental health","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-7185469/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7185469/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003eThis study explores how parents cope with the adversities associated with their children\u0026rsquo;s soccer development, in order to identify adaptive response patterns to help them provide better support. Participants comprised 11 fathers and 15 mothers (N\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;26) of student soccer players in the youth category of two first division soccer clubs. Four focus groups were conducted to identify the situations most frequently experienced as adverse. These were analysed using a deductive approach, employing the GABCDE framework integral to Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy (REBT). The results showed that, on the field, the most significant adversity was the risk or presence of injury. In this context, the most adaptive belief was: \u003cem\u003e\u0026ldquo;We try to do all that we can, but we don\u0026rsquo;t have to be the perfect parent(s) to the perfect soccer player\u0026rdquo;\u003c/em\u003e, associated with competencies such as emotional regulation, compassion, and assertive communication. Off the field, the most prominent adversity arose at the end of the season, when it was time to decide whether or not to stay on at the club. The most adaptive belief was: \u003cem\u003e\u0026ldquo;sport forms part of their development, whether or not they go on to become professionals\u0026rdquo;\u003c/em\u003e, reflecting higher tolerance of uncertainty, emotional acceptance and balanced support. These findings reveal adaptive REBT-based coping strategies for the family setting. Moreover, they offer greater understanding of the individual and collective nature of beliefs, and of the role of the family in providing a protective (or unsafe) environment in the context of elite sport.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"Must We Control Every Detail? 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