Relationships Between Athlete Activist Identities and Resilience in College Athletes

Abstract

Many high-profile athletes have engaged in athlete activism and continued to remain successful both in sport and activism. Although several barriers have been documented preventing athletes from engaging in activism (e.g., public criticism, status and job loss, withdrawal of funding, anticipated distress; Cunningham & Regan, 2012), activism itself has also been connected to several positive outcomes (e.g., improved confidence, self-concept, belief in change, agency, life meaning; Klar & Kasser, 2009; Rabkin, McElhiney, Harrington, & Horn, 2018). Indeed, both sport and activism provide opportunities for athlete activists to develop resilience. Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to examine the relationships between athletic identity (AI), activist identity and commitment (AIC), stress control mindset, and mental toughness. NCAA student-athletes (N = 204) reported low AIC overall. Regression models did not suggest that AI and AIC predict SCM or MT as expected, but correlations did provide evidence that SCM and MT are positively related. Possible explanations for these findings are discussed.

College coaches’ engagement in advocacy for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, asexual, and other gender and sexual minorities (LGBTQIA+) rights and racial justice: Experiences, facilitators, and barriers.

“…Indeed, all four BIPOC women in the present study—three of whom also identified as lesbians—reported experiencing pushback. Prior research has shown that prejudice and discrimination toward LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC coaches exist (Carter-Francique, 2020; Krane & Barber, 2005; Larsen et al, 2019; Scheadler et al, 2021). Previous research also has acknowledged that BIPOC women in sport are subjected to both racism and sexism (Cooky et al, 2010; Litchfield et al, 2018).…”

“…By doing so, however, these leaders ignore critical problems and allow racial injustice to persist. Furthermore, there even is evidence of prejudice and discrimination toward LGBTQIA+ (Krane & Barber, 2005; Scheadler et al, 2021) and BIPOC college coaches (Carter-Francique, 2020; Larsen et al, 2019). Thus, some college coaches may consider engaging in advocacy to support their student athletes or the broader student population, university, and community and to challenge the complicit nature of many sport leaders.…”

Athlete Psychological Resilience and Integration with Digital Mental Health Implementation Amid Covid-19

“…A structural equation model applied with 641 female football and basketball players found athletes' resilience is positive for sport engagement -it boosts satisfaction and inhibits spoiling of basic psychological needs [46]. A social justice-oriented crosssectional study of professional and college athletes found that the stress control mindset and mental toughness constructs should be further investigated in athlete psychological resilience [47]. Scheadler et al found a positive relationship between these constructs which led to the inference that they are important moderators if not indicators of resilience in this group.…”