Study purpose and objectives

The purpose of this scoping review is to examine the available guidelines and/or recommendations for parents on youth body image. Three objectives will guide this review: (1) identify how many guidelines/recommendations exist for parents to support youth body image; (2) illustrate the guidelines/recommendations’ characteristics (i.e., resource type/format; method(s) used to develop resource); and (3) describe the topics/content covered in the guidelines/recommendations. Findings from this scoping review will offer a valuable synthesis of evidence-based recommendations and/or guidelines that will inform the development of parent guidelines for youth body image in sport. More broadly, the results will guide researchers’ efforts to refine or develop evidence-based tools for parents across diverse contexts, ultimately strengthening the effectiveness of future parent-focused resources.

Step 1: Create and consult a stakeholder group

Knowledge users are typically consulted twice during the review process to obtain perspectives on the (1) methods and (2) results [19]. Initial consultations on the methods usually involve gathering feedback on the research questions, search terms, and eligibility criteria [19]. However, due to time constraints, initial consultations with parents were not carried out. Instead, the design of this scoping review was guided by earlier interviews and discussions with key sport stakeholders (i.e., parents, coaches, organizations), as well as insights drawn from previously conducted interviews with parents of youth athletes [2]. These foundational conversations significantly influenced the methodological approach. Further, as detailed in subsequent sections, the research team engaged topic experts and a health sciences librarian to review and refine the proposed methods. In addition, a reaction meeting in the form of two focus groups will be conducted to support interpretation, reporting, and knowledge dissemination (see step 8 for knowledge user recruitment and reaction meeting details).

Step 2: Identify the research question(s)

This scoping review’s purpose is to examine the available guidelines and/or recommendations for parents on youth body image. Three research questions will guide this review:

1. (1) How many guidelines and/or recommendations exist for parents to support youth body image?
2. (2) What are the characteristics (i.e., resource type/format; method(s) used to develop resource) of the guidelines and/or recommendations for parents to support youth body image?
3. (3) What are the topics/content covered in the guidelines and/or recommendations for parents to support youth body image?

The research questions were developed using the PCC mnemonic [21] to explore the population of parents and the concept of body image within the context of parent-focused guidelines/recommendations. Details on each component are provided below.

Step 3: Identify relevant studies

Step 4: Create and register a protocol

The protocol was prospectively registered with Open Science Framework (https://osf.io/9hq78) on February 11, 2025. The registration includes all necessary information as outlined in the methodological framework [19] and the PRISMA-P checklist (S1 Table; [24]).

Step 5: Select and screen studies

The first author (MFV) performed the search and search results were exported to Covidence [25] where duplicates were removed. Using eligibility criteria, two stages of study selection were conducted in duplicate by four independent reviewers: (1) title and abstract review and (2) full-text review. Any disagreements were resolved through regular consensus meetings between reviewers, or if needed, two additional reviewers from the research team were consulted.

Step 6: Chart the data

Aligned with the research questions, a chart form was developed (Table 1), which will be used to provide a descriptive summary of the results. Four reviewers will independently extract relevant data in duplicate from the first five sources as a pilot exercise to ensure consistency. They will meet to consider any discrepancies and will either reach a consensus or consult an additional reviewer who will make a final decision. Formal data extraction from the remaining sources will be conducted by the four reviewers in duplicate, with discrepancies resolved by the research team. An iterative process will occur wherein the chart form may be revised throughout the review process as needed [19].

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Table 1. Preliminary chart form.

https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0343304.t001

Step 7: Collate, summarize, and report the results

Data will be analyzed using a descriptive numerical summary and conventional content analysis [26]. Frequencies will be used to offer a descriptive overview of the sources and results. One member of the review team will conduct the conventional content analysis. Specifically, they will read and re-read the included articles, develop preliminary codes with assistance from the chart form, and create categories based on relationships between codes. The review team will discuss results and team members not involved in the content analysis will act as critical friends [27]. The scoping review’s research questions will guide the analyses, wherein results will be discussed in relation to (1) how many recommendations/guidelines are available, (2) the resource characteristics, and (3) the body image topics/content that inform them. The analyses will also summarize findings related to study, population, concept, and context characteristics, and any outcomes reported. The PRISMA-ScR Checklist and knowledge-user consultations will inform the reporting of results, wherein a PRISMA flow diagram will be presented, and findings will be reported descriptively, thematically, and in summary tables [20].

Step 8: Consult stakeholders and consider implications

Consulting knowledge users is critical for ensuring that review findings reflect end-users’ lived experiences, thereby improving the relevance, applicability, and real-world usefulness of the results [19]. Discussions with parents will help identify the most relevant content and contextual factors needed within resources that may not be fully captured in existing recommendations and guidelines. Their contributions will also support the interpretation of review findings, identify gaps between evidence and lived experience, and strengthen the development of user-centered resources, ultimately enhancing the scoping review’s value for guiding future research and resource development.

Institutional research ethics board approval was obtained for knowledge-user engagement. University of Toronto Research Ethics Board approved the parent consultations (Protocol #: 47474). Parents of children aged 4–18 years will be consulted to offer lived experience expertise that will be integrated in the results and interpretation. Parents (N = 12–20) will be recruited in February 2026 using social media, existing lists of previous participants who consented to future research, sport organizations’ newsletters or listserv, and snowball sampling. Parents will be eligible if they are: (a) 18 years or older, (b) have a 4–18-year-old child in sport (at any level); and (c) able to read, speak, and understand English. Parents will be eligible regardless of geographical location. All participants will complete written informed consent prior to participation in a reaction meeting.

Two focus groups will be conducted online with 6–10 participants per focus group (n = 12–20; [28]). Using a semi-structured focus group interview guide, the focus groups will be designed to gain perspectives and feedback on the scoping review results and discuss implications, including how the results can shape the development of a parent guideline for youth body image in sport. Questions will explore parents’ overall impressions (e.g., “Which results were most interesting or surprising to you?”), result-specific perspectives (e.g., “Do the topics identified in the resources resonate with you and your experiences with your child?”), future research ideas (e.g., “Is there anything missing from the existing parent resources that require us to do more research on?”), and knowledge dissemination feedback (e.g., “Who would you share the results of this scoping review with?”). Focus groups will last 60–90 minutes and will be conducted by two members of the research team via online teleconferencing. During this meeting, the knowledge-users may inform dissemination strategies (e.g., social media posts) with an aim of reaching varied parent and expert groups. In addition, in consultation with knowledge-users, implications regarding future research and practice will be developed.

To analyze focus group data, the discussions will be audio recorded, transcribed verbatim, and a conventional content analysis [26] will be used. One member of the review team will read the transcripts, develop codes, and create categories based on relationships between codes using NVivo software. Results will be discussed among team members and the remaining team members will act as critical friends [27]. Parent consultation results will be integrated with scoping review findings.