A Systematic Literature Review on the Academic and Athletic Identities of Student-Athletes

Abstract

Academic and athletic identities are related to performance and wellbeing indicators in both the educational and sport domains, respectively. This paper presents a systematic literature review examining empirical research into the academic and athletic identities of student-athletes in dual (education and sport) careers. The 42 records identified in this review suggest that research on the academic and athletic identities of student-athletes has focused on the themes of: identity development, role conflict, career development and motivation, and student-athlete stereotypes. Future research directions are considered, including the need for mixed-methods and longitudinal assessments of academic and athletic identities to assess to dynamic nature of identity development, and to ascertain how these relate to future performance and wellbeing outcomes.

Escala de Identidade Acadêmica e Atlética (AAIS-Br): Adaptação e Evidências de Validade

“…Conceitualmente, a "identidade atlética" refere-se à autopercepção do indivíduo sobre seu papel relativo ao esporte, e tem função central no autoconceito de atletas (Steele et al, 2020). Sua mensuração enquanto construto psicológico foi proposta pioneiramente por Brewer et al, (1993), por meio da criação da Athletic Identity Measurement Scale -AIMS.…”

The Athletic Identity Measurement Scale: A Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis from 1993 to 2021

“…This systematic review with meta-analysis assessed their original thoughts as to who would endorse such an identity and how athletic identity might relate to positive (Hercules’ muscles) and negative (Achilles heel) factors. To date, no such review exits in the literature, as the previous four [ 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 ] reviews addressed different questions. In addition to testing Brewer et al’s basic premises, we sought to examine whether the AIMS subscales affected our main findings.…”

“…Though not specific to the AIMS, four review articles, none with meta-analyses, exist in the literature with different research questions [ 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 ]. Ronkanien and colleagues [ 8 ] wrote an extensive meta-study of 40 qualitative and 5 mixed-method athletic identity studies.…”

“…Whereas Renton et al examined athletic identity in the injury environment, Steele and colleagues [ 9 ] reviewed student athletes’ athletic identities in the academic environment. With an initial sample of 42 studies, the researchers presented main findings for their included studies, focused on 16 studies with both athletic and academic identities directly or indirectly measured.…”

The holistic development of talented sportspersons through dual-career

“…The time spent in training, travelling to competitions, and competing poses athletes in a disadvantaged position compared to their non-athletic counterparts (European Commission, 2012 ; Xanthopoulos et al, 2020 ). In fact, athletes reported a lack of time to study, limited relations with teachers/professors, classmates, and peers, missed classes and exams, physical and mental fatigue, and identity conflicts (Gaston-Gayles and Baker, 2015 ; Stambulova et al, 2015 ; Gomez et al, 2018 ; Condello et al, 2019 ; Steele et al, 2020 ). Despite athletes having the main responsibility of their dual career paths (e.g., micro dimension) several individuals, institutions, or specific contexts have different and integrated responsibilities in accompanying and fostering talented athletes during their developmental years, mainly providing a critical balance of challenges and/or emotional and logistical support at the meso (e.g., parents, peers, teachers/employers, coaches, sport managers), macro (e.g., sports clubs/federations, educational institutions, and labour market), and policy (e.g., national and international governing bodies) dimensions of dual career (Larsen et al, 2012 , 2013 ; Capranica and Guidotti, 2016 ).…”