Parents’ Involvement in Choosing Extracurricular Sports Activities: A Gendered Perspective from Israel

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

Good evening.

I would like to ask for clarification on some approaches in the article that I did not understand, but the whole article seems to fall into this area.

I would like some details to explain better:

- what is the scientific contribution of the authors in this article?

- what is the questionnaire applied to parents?

-why only 30 subjects? it is enough?

-how relevant is the detailing in the table, for the scientific nature of the article?

I await any additions and clarifications for an objective evaluation of the article.

All the best.

Author Response

Dear reviewer,

We sincerely appreciate your time and effort in reviewing our article. In response to the concerns raised during the review process, we would like to clarify that our research employs a qualitative methodology. Our primary objective is to explore the subjective perceptions of our research participants and subsequently analyse the resulting findings.

This qualitative approach is thoroughly detailed in the methodological chapter, where we describe our use of in-depth interviews with the research population. It's important to note that, in line with qualitative research principles and the nature of "phenomena research," we employ a semi-structured interview format that incorporates guiding questions instead of traditional questionnaires.

Furthermore, we would like to emphasize that the number of participants in our study is relatively robust compared to similar qualitative investigations. The tabular presentation of participant data serves a specific purpose. Unlike the customary practice in quantitative studies where tables define study variables, our table provides a broader contextual framework, primarily addressing the social aspects inherent in the study population.

We have diligently incorporated several revisions into the manuscript, which are highlighted in yellow for your convenience. These modifications aim to enhance the clarity of the article and contribute positively to the overall understanding of our work.

Reviewer 2 Report

An interesting and insightful research project into the intergenerational transference of beliefs and attitudes and children’s freedom of expression through sport in Israel, and that country’s cultural blend of traditional and contemporary influences.  The research focuses on the gendered parental influence for the extracurricular sport participation and the acceptance and participation of children into the various sports.  

The Abstract presents a concise and accurate precis of the research undertaken that allows the reader to understand the relevance of the research to them.  The literature review given in the Introduction is detailed and provides an excellent appraisal of prior published research relating to the extracurricular of children including the developmental impact, traditional vs modern perspectives of gendered sport selection, the parental perspectives of the differences between the various sports, the broad attitudes towards gender in Israel relative to the selection of sport.  All of these topics are necessary to underly the current study,  These topics are well presented and define the  various topics covered by the research project.  The objectives and research questions are articulated well and provide a complete understanding of the project.

The Method section outlines the research design which the author/s describe as ‘a qualitative philosophical paradigm, focusing on the nuanced social and cultural determinants shaping parental gender perceptions toward their children's participation in after-school sports club’.  This paradigm provides a good representation of the parents’ attitudes and thoughts of the research objective.  Semi-structured interviews were conducted with the collected interview data subjected to a reflective thematic analysis identify the themes within the collected data.  The analysis of the interview data is appropriate to the nuanced data collected.  A table is provided of the demographics of the studied group to assist in understanding the Findings and the Discussion sections.  The Findings are discussed under three topics of motivation and activity goals (including motives),the limitations of choice and gendered perspectives, and parental guidance and gender norms (which  encompasses collective decision making, the influence of societal norms).

The Discussion section synthesises the findings and literature to provide a plausible interpretation of the collected data with some insightful theories of parental thoughts and attitudes, and children’s perspectives on their chosen extracurricular sports activities.  The author/s identification of the limitations and future research from the study are realistic and appropriate.

This is well conceived, designed, implemented research project that maintains the research quality in the data analysis and interpretation of the collected data.  The research provided a better understanding of the intergenerational familial transference of attitudes and beliefs of children’s choice and family support for the child’s desire for particular sports.

Author Response

Dear Reviewer,

We would like to express our sincere gratitude for taking the time to review our article. Your positive feedback and comments were truly appreciated. We are thrilled to hear that you found our article insightful and valuable. Your feedback has given us the motivation to continue producing high-quality content. We appreciate your time and effort in reviewing our work, and we hope to have the opportunity to work with you again in the future. Once again, thank you for your kind words and support.

Reviewer 3 Report

This study provides a comprehensive and insightful exploration of the complex motivations behind parental decisions to enroll their children in organized sports, and how these decisions intersect with gender norms and values. It is a valuable contribution to the field of sports sociology and gender studies. It provides a nuanced understanding of the complex interplay between parental motivations, societal expectations, and gender norms in children’s sports participation. The findings have important implications for educators, coaches, parents, and policymakers seeking to promote gender equality in sports. The author(s) acknowledged its limitations which I have minor concerns about too.

Author Response

Dear reviewer,

Thank you for your thoughtful review and kind words regarding our study. We are pleased to hear that you found our research to be a valuable contribution to the fields of sports sociology and gender studies. Your feedback is greatly appreciated.

Regarding your minor concerns about the limitations section, we have carefully revisited and revised that portion of the manuscript. We aimed to address the issues you raised while maintaining the overall integrity of the study's findings and implications. We believe that these revisions have enhanced the clarity and thoroughness of the limitations section.

We hope that the revised limitations section now aligns more closely with your expectations. Please feel free to let us know if there are any further adjustments or specific points you would like us to consider. Your guidance is invaluable in ensuring the quality and rigor of our research.

Moreover, we added two references which we believe will help with framing the theoretical basis of the study

Once again, thank you for your time and attention to our manuscript. We look forward to your feedback and suggestions as we work together to make this study the best it can be.

________________________________________

New limitation section. Changes are highlighted in yellow

Round 2

Reviewer 1 Report

Congratulations. All the best!.

Author Response

Dear Reviewer,

Thank you so much for taking the time to review our paper for the second round. Your positive feedback has been greatly appreciated. It is always encouraging to hear that our work is being well received and we are glad that you found our paper to be valuable.

As for your comments, we added a sub-section to the methods chapter and rephrase couple of sentences in the discussion

Thank you again for your support and feedback.