Reconstructing Athletic Identity: College Athletes and Sport Retirement

Self-concept theory was used as a theoretical basis to investigate the utility of social norms alcohol prevention programs for college athletes. The predictive relationship among alcohol use and athletic identity, competitiveness, drinking game participation, and level of sport participation was investigated. Drinking game participation was found to be a significant predictor of total weekly alcohol use above and beyond the other predictors. In addition, organized recreational sport participation was a significant predictor of total binge-drinking episodes. It was demonstrated that individuals not currently participating in sports with an athletic identity in the same range as current athletes consumed alcohol at similar rates to current athletes, thus supporting athletic identity as an alternative way of classifying athlete status when studying alcohol consumption patterns. These results highlight the importance of drinking game participation in the alcohol use of college athletes and the validity of applying self-concept theory to alcohol prevention programs.

Download Full-text

How Many Concussions Would It Take for Athletes to Choose to Discontinue Participation in Their Primary Sport?

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18041582 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (4) ◽

pp. 1582

Author(s):

Matthew R. Monaco ◽

Britton W. Brewer ◽

Judy L. Van Raalte ◽

Christine N. May

Keyword(s):

Online Survey ◽

Sport Participation ◽

Cruciate Ligament ◽

Athletic Identity ◽

Education Programs ◽

Sport Retirement ◽

History Of ◽

Concussion History ◽

Anterior Cruciate ◽

Club Sport

The process by which athletes decide to continue or discontinue sport participation after concussion has not been explicated. Intercollegiate and club sport athletes (N = 394) completed an online survey that included assessments of demographic factors, the total number of concussions (and anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears) that would prompt sport retirement, concussion history, and athletic identity. On average, participants reported that they would retire from their primary sport after sustaining 3 to 4 concussions (and approximately 2 ACL tears). The total number of concussions reported was negatively correlated with the number of additional concussions it would take to precipitate sport retirement. Athletic identity was positively associated with the number of concussions that participants with a history of one or more concussions reported would prompt them to retire from their primary sport. The results provide information of potential utility to professionals implementing concussion education programs and working with athletes at risk of experiencing concussion.

Download Full-text

A Qualitative Examination of Sport Retirement in Former NCAA Division I Athletes

Journal of Athlete Development and Experience ◽

10.25035/jade.02.01.01 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 2 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Kelly Barcza-Renner ◽

Amber Shipherd ◽

Itay Basevitch

Keyword(s):

Ncaa Division I ◽

Psychological Health ◽

College Athletes ◽

Well Being ◽

Division I ◽

Sport Retirement ◽

Retirement Transition ◽

Division I Athletes ◽

Health And Well Being ◽

Practical Implications

Statistics indicate that the overwhelming majority of NCAA Division I college athletes will not continue in their sport professionally (NCAA, 2019). Therefore, there is a need to develop a deeper understanding of the variables that influence college athletes’ psychological health and well-being as they transition to retirement. The present study gathered detailed information about 15 former NCAA Division I college athletes’ retirement experiences four to five months post retirement. The findings suggested that the former college athletes had varied retirement experiences ranging from negative to positive. All college athletes who reported having a successful retirement transition described having at least one identified support group, stated they accomplished their athletic goals, indicated they had started pursuing other interests, and identified some positive aspects about their lives since retirement. Alternatively, the college athletes who reported having an unsuccessful retirement transition revealed they did not accomplish most of their athletic goals and struggled to identify any positive aspects about their lives since retirement. The findings of this study highlight the diversity in college athletes’ retirement experiences that can occur. Although there is still much more to ascertain about athlete retirement, this exploration into college athletes’ retirement experiences offers practical implications for athletes, coaches, practitioners, and those who want to provide support for a retiring athlete.

Download Full-text

Exploring the Relationship Between Athletic Identity and Beliefs About Rehabilitation Overadherence in College Athletes

Journal of Sport Rehabilitation ◽

10.1123/jsr.2015-0134 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 26 (3) ◽

pp. 208-220 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Robert C. Hilliard ◽

Lindsey Blom ◽

Dorice Hankemeier ◽

Jocelyn Bolin

Keyword(s):

Outcome Measures ◽

College Athletes ◽

Athletic Trainers ◽

Negative Affectivity ◽

Athletic Identity ◽

Athletic Participation ◽

Rehabilitation Program ◽

Measurement Scale ◽

Rehabilitation Adherence ◽

Significant Model

Context:Athletic identity has been associated with rehabilitation overadherence in college athletes.Objectives:To explore which constructs of athletic identity predict rehabilitation overadherence, gauge athletes’ views of the most salient aspect of their athletic participation, and understand their perceptions of the reasons they adhere to their rehabilitation program.Design:Cross-sectional, mixed methods.Setting:University athletic training clinics and online.Participants:Currently injured college athletes (N = 80; 51 male, 29 female).Main Outcome Measures:Athletic Identity Measurement Scale (AIMS), Rehabilitation Overadherence Questionnaire (ROAQ), and 2 open-ended questions about athletic participation and rehabilitation adherence.Results:Higher levels of athletic identity were associated with higher levels of rehabilitation overadherence (r = .29, P = .009). Hierarchical multiple regression used on AIMS subscales to predict ROAQ subscales did not reveal a significant model for the subscale “ignore practitioner recommendations.” However, a significant model was revealed for the subscale “attempt an expedited rehabilitation,” F5,73 = 2.56, P = .04, R2 = .15. Negative affectivity was the only significant contribution to the equation (β = 0.33, t = 2.64, P = .01). Content analysis revealed that bodily benefits, sport participation, personal achievement, social relationships, and athlete status were perceived to be the most important aspects of being an athlete. The themes of returning to competition, general health, and relationship beliefs were identified as the major factors for adhering to a rehabilitation program.Conclusions:Negative affectivity accounted for a significant but low amount of variance for rehabilitation overadherence, suggesting that athletic trainers should pay attention to personal variables such as athletic identity that might influence the rehabilitation process. Using the knowledge of why athletes adhere to their rehabilitation and what is most important to them about being an athlete, athletic trainers can use appropriate interventions to facilitate proper rehabilitation adherence.

Download Full-text

The Effects of Athletic Identity and Proactive Coping on Career Transition Adjustment in Judo College Athletes

Korean Association For Learner-Centered Curriculum And Instruction ◽

10.22251/jlcci.2021.21.4.1549 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (4) ◽

pp. 1549-1562

Author(s):

Seungbun Hong

Keyword(s):

College Athletes ◽

Athletic Identity ◽

Career Transition ◽

Proactive Coping

Download Full-text

Infrahumanizing Praise

Social Psychology ◽

10.1027/1864-9335/a000272 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 47 (4) ◽

pp. 187-200 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Mark H. White ◽

Ludwin E. Molina

Keyword(s):

College Athletes ◽

Black Athletes ◽

Mind And Body ◽

The Mind

Abstract. Five studies demonstrate that athletic praise can ironically lead to infrahumanization. College athletes were seen as less agentic than college debaters (Studies 1 and 2). College athletes praised for their bodies were also seen as less agentic than college athletes praised for their minds (Study 3), and this effect was driven by bodily admiration (Study 4). These effects occurred equally for White and Black athletes (Study 1) and did not depend on dualistic beliefs about the mind and body (Study 2), failing to provide support for assumptions in the literature. Participants perceived mind and body descriptions of both athletes and debaters as equally high in praise (Study 5), demonstrating that infrahumanization may be induced even if descriptions of targets are positively valenced. Additionally, decreased perceptions of agency led to decreased support for college athletes’ rights (Study 3).

Download Full-text