Risk and Protective Factors for Bullying in Sport: A Scoping Review
Citation: Kalina, L., O’Keeffe, B. T., O’Reilly, S., & Moustakas, L.
International Journal of Bullying Prevention
Institute of Education
Abstract

The aim of the current study was to examine risk and protective factors related to bullying in sport. Adopting the methodologi-cal approach outlined by Arksey and O’Malley (International Journal of Social Research Methodology 8(1):19–32, 2005), 37articles met the inclusion criteria. A consistent definition of bullying could not be identified in the publications examined,and several articles (n = 8) did not explicitly define bullying. The most frequent risk factor identified was an individual’ssocial background (n = 9). Negative influence of coaches (n = 5), level of competition (n = 5), lack of supportive club culture(n = 5) and issues in locker rooms (n = 4) were among the most commonly cited risk factors for bullying in sport settings.Preventative policies were cited as the most common method to reduce the incidence of bullying (n = 13). Contextuallytailored intervention programmes (n = 5) were also noted as a key protective factor, particularly for marginalised groups,including athletes with disabilities or members of the LGBTQ+ community. The need for sport-specific bullying preventioneducation was highlighted by 10 of the articles reviewed. In summary, the current review accentuates the range of risk andprotective factors associated with sport participation. Furthermore, the need for educational training programmes to supportcoaches in addressing and preventing bullying within sport settings is emphasised.