Browsing by Author "Steinfeldt, Jesse A."

Now showing 1 - 12 of 12

Bullying Among Adolescent Football Players: Role of Masculinity and Moral Atmosphere
(American Psychological Association, 2011-12-24) Steinfeldt, Matthew C.; LaFollette, Julie R.; Vaughn, Ellen L.; Steinfeldt, Jesse A.
Identifying practices of masculinity socialization that contribute to the establishment of gender privilege can help address violence and bullying in schools (Connell, 1996). Because the sport of football is considered an important contributor to masculinity construction, establishing peer networks, and creating hierarchies of student status, this study examined the influence of social norms (i.e., moral atmosphere, meanings of adolescent masculinity) on bullying beliefs and behaviors of 206 high school football players. Results demonstrated that moral atmosphere (Peer Influence, Influential Male Figure) and adherence to male role norms significantly predicted bullying, but the strongest predictor was the perception of whether the most influential male in a player’s life would approve of the bullying behavior. In addition to prevention interventions highlighting the role of influential men and masculinity norms in this process, implications for practice suggest that football players can use their peer influence and status as center sport participants to create a school culture that does not tolerate bullying.
Content Analysis of the Psychology of Men and Masculinity (2000 to 2008)
(American Psychological Association, 2010-07) Hickman, Sarah J.; Speight, Quentin L.; Steinfeldt, Jesse A.; Wong, Y. Joel
In 2010, the Psychology of Men and Masculinity (PMM) celebrates the 10th anniversary of its inception as the official journal of the Society for the Psychological Study of Men andMasculinity. This article commemorates this significant milestone by examining the journal’s current trends and future directions through a content analysis of 154 articles published in PMM from 2000 to 2008. The authors found that PMM scholarship was dominated by theories associated with the gender role strain paradigm, addressed clinically-related topics, relied largely on White male college samples, and had a growing impact on clinically-focused scholarly journals and books. Recommendations for addressing theoretical orientations, topics, and populations underrepresented in PMM scholarship are provided.
A Contextual Examination of Gender Role Conflict Among College Football Players
(American Psychological Association, 2011-10) Steinfeldt, Matthew C.; Hoag, Jacquelyn M.; Hagan, Aleska R.; Wong, Y. Joel; Steinfeldt, Jesse A.
This mixed methods study examined the contextual nature of gender role conflict (GRC). Using a quasi-experimental design, 153 male college football players were randomly assigned to two groups wherein they were instructed to report levels of GRC based on the assigned life domain (within the football environment vs. life outside of football). Results indicated that participants did not differ significantly in levels of GRC across life domains, but did reveal that life domain (within the football environment) moderated the significant relationship between Restrictive Affectionate Behavior Between Men (RABBM) and life satisfaction. Qualitative findings provided support for quantitative results, and described ways that football players express emotions and affection toward other men within this unique context. Results can help psychologists design interventions that normalize and encourage affective and emotional expression within the domain of football, with the intent of teaching players to transfer these behaviors to life domains outside of football.
Masculinity, Moral Atmosphere, and Moral Functioning of High School Football Players
(Human Kinetics, 2011-04) Steinfeldt, Jesse A.; Rutkowski, Leslie A.; Vaughan, Ellen L.; Steinfeldt, Matthew C.
In order to identify factors associated with on-field moral functioning among student athletes within the unique context of football, we examined masculine gender role conflict, moral atmosphere, and athletic identity. Using structural equation modeling to assess survey data from 204 high school football players, results demonstrated that moral atmosphere (i.e., the influence of coaches and teammates) was significantly associated with participants’ process of on-field moral functioning across the levels of judgment, intention, and behavior. Neither masculine gender role conflict nor athletic identity significantly predicted moral functioning, but the results indicated that participants’ identification with the athlete role significantly predicted conflict with socialized gender roles. Results suggest that in the aggressive and violent sport of football, coaches can have a direct influence on players’ moral functioning process. Coaches can also have an indirect effect by influencing all the players so that a culture of ethical play can be cultivated among teammates and spread from the top down.
Masculinity, Moral Atmosphere, and Moral Functioning of High School Football Players
(Human Kinetics, Inc., 2011-04) Steinfeldt, Matthew C.; Vaughn, Ellen L.; Rutkowski, Leslie; Steinfeldt, Jesse A.
In order to identify factors associated with on-field moral functioning among student athletes within the unique context of football, we examined masculine gender role conflict, moral atmosphere, and athletic identity. Using structural equation modeling to assess survey data from 204 high school football players, results demonstrated that moral atmosphere (i.e., the influence of coaches and teammates) was significantly associated with participants’ process of on-field moral functioning across the levels of judgment, intention, and behavior. Neither masculine gender role conflict nor athletic identity significantly predicted moral functioning, but the results indicated that participants’ identification with the athlete role significantly predicted conflict with socialized gender roles. Results suggest that in the aggressive and violent sport of football, coaches can have a direct influence on players’ moral functioning process. Coaches can also have an indirect effect by influencing all the players so that a culture of ethical play can be cultivated among teammates and spread from the top down.
Multicultural training on American Indian issues: Testing the effectiveness of an intervention to change attitudes toward Native-themed mascots
(American Psychological Association, 2010-04) Wong, Y. Joel; Steinfeldt, Jesse A.
This study investigated attitudes toward Native-themed mascots in the context of color blind racial attitudes (CoBRAs). Results indicate that higher CoBRAs are related to lower awareness of the offensiveness of Native-themed mascots. The researchers tested the effectiveness of a training intervention designed to produce attitudinal change among master’s level counseling students. Results demonstrate that the training intervention produced significantly greater attitudinal change than did a general training session on culturally sensitive counseling practices with American Indian clients, particularly among students with high CoBRAs. Results also indicate that this training intervention on Native-themed mascots contributed to lower color blind racial attitudes, thus increasing the student’s awareness of societal racism. Psychological training programs may benefit from augmenting their multicultural counseling curriculum by specifically addressing the offensive nature of Native-themed mascots. An awareness of the marginalization of American Indians, particularly as it involves racialized mascots, can reduce color blind racial attitudes and may provide psychologists with a more comprehensive understanding of aspects of the reality of American Indian clients that contribute to their worldview.
Muscularity Beliefs of Female College Student-Athletes
(Springer, 2011-04) Steinfeldt, Matthew Clint; Benton, Emily; Carter, Hailee; Steinfeldt, Jesse A.
Female athletes in the United States face the paradoxical challenge of acquiring a degree of muscularity to be successful in their sport, yet they also endure pressure from societal expectations of femininity that often don’t conform with the notion of muscularity. To address research questions about how female student-athletes balance muscularity and femininity, we conducted a mixed-methods study to examine muscularity beliefs among female student-athletes, female college students, and male college student-athletes. We quantitatively examined Drive for Muscularity Scale (DMS) scores from 221 participants attending college in the Midwestern US. Results indicated that female student-athletes reported significantly higher DMS scores than female students, but male student-athletes reported the highest DMS scores in the sample. Qualitative results indicated that female student-athletes wanted to be muscular for these reasons: functionality (45%), health (42%), external gratification (21%), internal gratification (18%). Only 16% of female student-athletes did not want to be muscular, whereas every male student athlete reported a desire to be muscular. The results of this study can be used to better understand the unique drive for muscularity among athletes, particularly female college student-athletes who live the paradox of negotiating societal standards of femininity with this desire to be muscular. This enhanced understanding can help create more nuanced interventions for coaches, administrators, and mental health professionals to use to help female student-athletes create space to resist constraining societal gender ideologies. Doing so can help these student-athletes actualize their athletic potential on the field as well as their interpersonal and intrapersonal potential off the field.
Novice Counselors’ Conceptualizations and Experiences of Therapeutic Relationships
(Springer, 2010-12-18) LaFollette, Julie R.; Schwing, Alison; Wong, Y. Joel; Steinfeldt, Jesse A.
This qualitative study investigated three novice counselors’ experiences and characterizations of therapeutic relationships. Thematic analyses of interviews and diaries revealed six common themes: (a) the centrality of supervision and training experiences to navigating interpersonal experiences with clients; (b) anxiety about counselors’ roles in therapeutic relationships; (c) the perception of the therapeutic relationship as less directive than outside (lay) helping relationships; (d) experimentation with different interpersonal styles; (e)awareness of countertransference; and, (f) impact of therapeutic relationships on outside relationships. Findings expand upon the therapeutic relationship as a focal point for the training and supervision of novice counselors.
Perspectives of Social Justice Activists: Advocating Against Native-themed Mascots, Nicknames, and Logos
(Sage/Division of Counseling Psychology of the American Psychological Association, 2011-08-22) Steinfeldt, Matthew Clint; Wong, Y. Joel; White, Mattie R.; LaFollette, Julie R.; Foltz, Brad D.; Steinfeldt, Jesse A.
This study investigated perspectives of social justice activists who directly advocate for the elimination of Native-themed mascots, nicknames, and logos. Using Consensual Qualitative Research methodology, the research team analyzed transcripts of interviews conducted with eleven social justice activists to generate themes, categories, and domains within the data. Five domains emerged: (a) deleterious impact of Native-themed mascots, nicknames, and logos; (b) components of identity preservation among supporters; (c) reasons why some American Indians might support Native-themed mascots, nicknames, logos; (d) frontline advocacy efforts; and (e) coping strategies for advocates. Results provided insights into the sociopsychological processes which operate—among both non-Indians and Indians—to allow the misappropriation of American Indian culture, symbols, and imagery in sport to continue to exist in society. Findings can help counseling psychologists better understand the lived experience of social justice activists, while also highlighting ways that our field can support efforts to eliminate race-based mascots, nicknames, and logos.
Perspectives of Social Justice Activists: Advocating Against Native-themed Mascots, Nicknames, and Logos
(Sage, 2011) Steinfeldt, Jesse A.; Foltz, Brad D.; LaFollette, Julie R.; White, Mattie R.; Wong, Y. Joel; Steinfeldt, Matthew Clint
This study investigated perspectives of social justice activists who directly advocate for the elimination of Native-themed mascots, nicknames, and logos. Using Consensual Qualitative Research methodology, the research team analyzed transcripts of interviews conducted with eleven social justice activists to generate themes, categories, and domains within the data. Five domains emerged: (a) deleterious impact of Native-themed mascots, nicknames, and logos; (b) components of identity preservation among supporters; (c) reasons why some American Indians might support Native-themed mascots, nicknames, logos; (d) frontline advocacy efforts; and (e) coping strategies for advocates. Results provided insights into the sociopsychological processes which operate—among both non-Indians and Indians—to allow the misappropriation of American Indian culture, symbols, and imagery in sport to continue to exist in society. Findings can help counseling psychologists better understand the lived experience of social justice activists, while also highlighting ways that our field can support efforts to eliminate race-based mascots, nicknames, and logos.
Racial and athletic identity of African American football players at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) and Predominantly White Institutions (PWI)
(Sage/Association of Black Psychologists, 2010-02) Steinfeldt, M. Clint; Reed, Courtney; Steinfeldt, Jesse A.
This study examined racial and athletic identity among African American football players at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) and Predominantly White Institutions (PWI). Negotiating the dualism of racial and athletic identities can be problematic because both roles are subject to prejudice and discrimination, particularly for student-athletes in revenue producing sports like football. Results indicated that seniors at both institution types reported significantly lower levels of Public Regard, and that lower levels of Public Regard predicted higher levels of college adjustment. Senior football players reported a greater acknowledgement that society does not value African Americans, and this acknowledgment predicted greater college adjustment. No differences between institution types in racial Centrality emerged, but football players at PWI reported higher levels of Athletic Identity. By garnering a better understanding of the psychosocial needs of African American football players, these results can inform college student personnel who can prioritize facilitating student-athlete academic and life skills with the same attention given to ensuring their athletic success.
Religiosity, Alcohol Use Attitudes, and Alcohol Use in a National Sample of Adolescents
(American Psychological Association, 2011-09) Kratz, Lisa M.; Steinfeldt, Jesse A.; Dios, Marcel A.; Vaughn, Ellen L.
The purpose of this study was to investigate alcohol use attitudes as a mediator of the relationship between religiosity and the frequency of past month alcohol use in a national sample of adolescents. Data were drawn from 18,314 adolescents who participated in the 2006 and 2007 National Survey on Drug Use and Health. Variables included religiosity, alcohol use attitudes, and past month frequency of alcohol use. Structural equation modeling was used to test alcohol use attitudes as a mediator of the relationship between religiosity and frequency of alcohol use and to test model invariance across 4 racial/ethnic groups. Results suggest that alcohol use attitudes partially mediate the relationship between religiosity and frequency of alcohol use. Furthermore, while the pattern of these relationships is similar across racial/ethnic groups, the magnitude of alcohol use attitudes on frequency of alcohol use differed. Implications for prevention programs include targeting alcohol use attitudes in a variety of settings.