What lies behind injury prevention behaviour in youth handball and football? A cross-sectional nationwide study of behavioural constructs in 865 coaches and players

Objectives: To describe and compare behavioural constructs (BCs) and psychosocial factors related to injury preventive (IP) exercises, training load and pain/injury management in Norwegian youth (aged 12–19) handball and football players and coaches. Design: Cross-sectional. Methods: Participants completed a Health Action Process Approach-based questionnaire assessing six BCs: risk perception, outcome expectancies, intention and self-efficacy (task, maintenance, coping), and psychosocial factors: knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, support, and IP facilitators. BC responses were aggregated into scores ranging from 0.14 (lowest) to 1.00 (highest). Results: In total, 283 football players (131 girls), 245 handball players (194 girls), 193 football coaches (29 women), and 144 handball coaches (69 women) completed the questionnaire. Handball players and coaches had higher intention and self-efficacy compared to their football counterparts (range 0.04–0.09, 0.95 % CI range 0.00–0.12). Compared to players, coaches exhibited higher risk perception (handball: 0.14, 95 % CI 0.07–0.21, football: 0.10, 95 % CI 0.01–0.18), coping self-efficacy (handball: 0.11, 95 % CI 0.02–0.19, football: 0.22, 95 % CI 0.14–0.29), and maintenance self-efficacy (football: 0.12, 95 % CI 0.04–0.18). Players showed greater intention than coaches (handball: 0.10, 95 % CI 0.02–0.19, football: 0.06, 95 % CI 0.01–0.12). BC-scores ≤ 0.71 were reported for risk perception (players and football coaches), task self-efficacy (players), maintenance self-efficacy (football players and football coaches), and coping self-efficacy (players). Knowledge-building, communication and support were key psychosocial factors. Conclusions: BC scores, including similar patterns across sports, and coach-player differences suggest that strategies can be consistent across sports and should target risk perception and self-efficacy towards IP exercises, pain/injury, and training load management. Knowledge-building, communication and support should be included.