Document Type
Post-Print
Publication Date
7-16-2025
Abstract
For LGBTQ+ employees, research has indicated they feel othered, isolated, and unwelcome within their work communities. In other settings, social networks have been shown to provide stability and a sense of belonging that increases factors associated with mental health, such as self-care, stress moderation, and increased coping behaviors. Because of this, we examined the social networks of self-identified LGBTQ+ sports officials utilizing egocentric network analysis to better understand the influence of LGBTQ+ officials’ social networks on their feelings of safety and confidence and decisions to continue officiating. Participants responded to questions about people (alters) they considered to be allies in their role as a sports official. These responses yielded an egocentric network for each LGBTQ+ sports official. Hierarchical linear modeling was used to examine alter (Level 1) and ego (Level 2) attributes that explained variance in feelings of safety and confidence. Initial results indicate feelings of safety and confidence are explained by factors at both the alter (i.e., ally) and ego (i.e., individual) levels, highlighting the value of multilevel analyses to study sports officials’ experiences. Implications for helping sports administrators better understand the variables and impact allies can have on factors associated with the mental health and retention of LGBTQ+ sports officials are discussed.
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1080/14413523.2025.2540166.
Publisher
Sport Management Review
ISSN
1839-2083
Repository Citation
Tingle, J. K., Jacobs, B. L., Baeth, A. C., Katz, M., & Zvosec, C. C. (2025). Allyship and social support networks: Examining feelings of safety and confidence among LGBTQ+ sports officials. Sport Management Review, (advanced on-line), 1–25. https://doi.org/10.1080/14413523.2025.2540166.