Exploring Functional and Dysfunctional Features of Talent Development Environments in German Olympic and Paralympic Sports. Implications for the Holistic Development of Elite Youth Athletes

Abstract

This dissertation addresses current calls from German elite sport organizations (e.g., Athleten Deutschland e.V., 2022; BISp, 2024), which emphasize the importance of supportive environmental conditions that promote the development and safeguard the mental health of elite athletes, and in that realm, urge for more research on these topics. In contrast to previous scientific work, which has primarily focused on success factors of talent development environments (TDEs) (cf. Feddersen et al., 2021), this dissertation bridges a critical gap by systematically investigating both functional and dysfunctional TDE features and their impact on the development of young athletes in German elite youth sports. This investigation is built upon a combination of a holistic ecological perspective, viewing TDEs in terms of multiple system levels (i.e., micro- to macro-level) in and outside the sport domain, and a holistic developmental perspective, considering athletes' personal development and wellbeing alongside their athletic development as key outcomes of talent developmental processes (cf. Stambulova & Henriksen, 2025). This cumulative thesis employs a multi-method approach across three complementary studies: Study 1, a scoping review, maps existing TDE research resulting in a conceptual framework that delineates functional and dysfunctional environmental features across four main categories: Preconditions of the sport environment, Organizational culture, Integration of efforts, and Holistic quality preparation. Study 2, a quantitative cross-sectional study, analyzes links between environmental features and athlete-related development outcomes in a sample of German elite youth athletes, thereby providing empirical support for the association between TDE features and holistic development outcomes. Study 3, a qualitative case study of a TDE in a German Olympic sport, empirically supports the assumption that functional and dysfunctional features interact dynamically within a TDE, illuminating how systemic tensions shape holistic athlete development. The findings of this dissertation offer valuable theoretical advancements for understanding TDEs as dynamic systems, as well as practical recommendations for practitioners committed to designing development-oriented, safe, and supportive talent pathways in elite youth sport.