Objectives To develop a sustainable and accessible educational programme on biopsychosocial female-specific topics, for young female athletes in organised sport, their parents and coaches for future testing and evaluation in a full-scale intervention study. Methods A digital educational programme, along with its methodology, was developed in four steps: First, content validity of female-specific topics was identified through (a) literature reviews by an interdisciplinary research team and (b) an online survey of 1323 female athletes (aged 16–24 years) assessing perceived knowledge and knowledge needs regarding biopsychosocial topics. Second, film scripts based on identified topics were written, internally reviewed and evaluated by a pilot group of six 13–16-year-old female athletes. Third, online surveys assessing main and secondary outcomes were developed and tested in the pilot group. Finally, digital format and production were developed collaboratively with a film scholar and film technicians. Results The intervention development yielded 12 videos of 5–7 min, featuring sports science researchers and female elite athletes sharing their perspectives on biopsychosocial topics specific to women. The protocol development produced a quasi-experimental, modified staircase cluster trial design, including bi-weekly assessment of main (ie, well-being and sporting experiences) and secondary outcomes (eg, perceived support) at baseline, pre-, post-intervention and post-post follow-up. Conclusion This study outlines the development of a digital educational intervention for young female athletes, their parents and coaches, emphasising that interdisciplinary collaboration and user engagement are key to identifying intervention components and relevant outcomes.
Augustsson et al. (Thu,) studied this question.