Exploring the interplay between academic and athletic identities among elite student athletes in tertiary education in Ireland
Abstract views: 153
/ 
PDF downloads: 40
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.12731428Keywords:
Dual Career Student Athletes, Elite Student Athletes, Identity, Motivation, Tertiary EducationAbstract
The pursuit of higher education presents unique challenges for elite student-athletes, who must balance academic responsibilities with the demands of athletic performance. Understanding how these individuals manage these dual roles is crucial for developing effective support systems in academic and athletic settings. This study investigated the interplay between academic and athletic identities among elite student-athletes in Ireland, focusing on the influence of motivation and social support. Data were collected using a cross-sectional online survey from 100 elite student-athletes, defined as individuals participating in elite-level sports while enrolled in full-time tertiary education in Ireland. The survey included validated measures of academic identity, athletic identity, motivation, and social support. The results show that the majority of participants identified primarily as student-athletes, with greater emphasis on their academic careers. Motivation was a significant predictor of both academic and athletic identities, while social support had no significant effect. These findings challenge the assumption that elite student-athletes predominantly prioritise their athletic roles and underscore the importance of fostering intrinsic motivation. Institutions are encouraged to implement tailored interventions, such as academic mentorship and flexible academic policies, to support student-athletes in balancing their dual careers. Future research should explore the underlying factors behind the minimal impact of social support and further examine motivation-based interventions.
References
Andersson, F. (2023) Sport schools in Europe: a scoping study of research articles (1999–2022), Sport in Society, 27(5), pp. 721–743. doi: 10.1080/17430437.2023.2273856.
Antshel, K. M., VanderDrift, L. E., & Pauline, J. S. (2016). The role of athletic identity in the relationship between difficulty thinking or concentrating and academic service use in NCAA student-athletes. Journal of Clinical Sport Psychology, 10, 309-323.
Aquilina, D. (2013). A study of the relationship between Elite Athletes’ educational development and sporting performance. International Journal of the History of Sport, 30, 374–392.
Auerbach, R. P., Alonso, J., Axinn, W. G., Cuijpers, P., Ebert, D. D., Green, J. G., ... et al. (2016). Mental disorders among college students in the World Health Organization World Mental Health Surveys. Psychological Medicine, 46, 2955–2970. http://dx.doi.org/10 .1017/S0033291716001665
Austin, Z., Sutton, J. (2014). Qualitative research: Getting started. The Canadian journal of hospital pharmacy, 67(6), 436-40. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.4212/cjhp.v67i6.1406 , PMID: 25548401; PMCID: PMC4275140.
Bandura, A. 1997. Self-efficacy: The exercise of control. W.H. Freeman and Company.
Baumeister, R.F., & Showers, C.J. (1986). A review of paradoxical performance effects: Choking under pressure in sports and mental tests European Journal of Social Psychology, 16(4), 361–383
Betz, N., & Hackett, G. (1986). Applications of self-efficacy theory to understanding career choice behavior. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 4. https://doi.org/10.1521/jscp.1986.4.3.279
Bourke, A. (2020). Sports scholarships in Ireland: A review of the issues. Sport in Society, 23(8), 1354-1369. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/17430437.2020.1769955
Boyle, E., Malone, S., Mangan, S., Doran, D. A., & Collins, K. (2023). Applied sport science of Gaelic football. Sport Sciences for Health, 19(1), 27–39. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11332-022-01015-x
Brewer, B. W., Van Raalte, J. L., & Linder, D. E. 1993. Athletic identity: Hercules’ muscles or Achilles heel? International Journal of Sport Psychology, 24, 237-254.
Cartigny, E., Till, K., & Jones, B. (2021). Dual career pathways in sport: A systematic review of factors influencing elite athletes’ decision-making in education and career planning. European Journal of Sport Science, 21(6), 780-795. https://doi.org/10.1080/17461391.2020.1865321
Chickering, A. W., & Reisser, L. (1993). Education and Identity. Second Edition. The Jossey-Bass Higher and Adult Education Series. Jossey-Bass Inc.
Cohen, S., Mermelstein, R., Kamarck, T., & Hoberman, H.M. (1985). Measuring the functional components of social support. In I.G. Sarason & B.R. Sarason (Eds.), Social support: theory, research, and applications 2-3. The Hague, Netherlands: Martinus Nijhoff.
Condello, G., Capranica L., Doupona M., Varga K., & Burk V. (2019). Dual-career through the elite university student-athletes’ lenses: The international FISU-EAS survey. PLoS ONE 14(10) e0223278. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0223278
Côté, J.E. (2006). Identity studies: How close are we to developing a social science of identity? An appraisal of the field. Identity, 6(1), 3-25. https://doi.org/10.1207/s1532706xid0601_2
Côté, J., & Fraser-Thomas, J. (2007). Youth involvement in sport. Sport psychology: A Canadian perspective, 270-298.
Creswell, J. (2009). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches. Thousand Oaks (CA): Sage Publications Ltd.
Deasy, C., Coughlan, B., Pironom, J., Jourdan, D., Mannix-McNamara, P., (2014). Psychological Distress and Coping amongst Higher Education Students: A Mixed Method Enquiry. PLOS ONE, 9(12), e115193.
DeCandia, G. M. (2014). Relationship between academic identity and academic achievement in low-income urban adolescents (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). The State University of New Jersey.
Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (1985). Intrinsic motivation and self-determination in human behavior. Springer US. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-2271-7
Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (1987). The support of autonomy and the control of behavior. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 53(6), 1024–1037. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.53.6.1024
DeFreese, J. D., & Smith, A. L. (2014). Athlete social support, negative social interactions, and psychological health across a competitive sport season. Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology, 36(6), 619-630. https://doi.org/10.1123/jsep.2014-0040
Felton, L., & Jowett, S. (2017). The mediating role of social identification between coach-athlete relationship quality and athlete satisfaction among sports participants. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 30, 30-38. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychsport.2017.01.006
Eklund, R.C., & DeFreese, J.D., (2020). Athlete burnout. In G. Tenenbaum, R.C. Eklund, & N. Boiangin (Eds.), Handbook of sport psychology: Exercise, methodologies, & special topics (4th ed., 1220–1240). John Wiley & Sons, Inc
Erikson, E. H. (1968). Identity: Youth and crisis. Norton & Co.
European Commission. (2012). EU guidelines on dual careers of athletes: Recommended policy actions in support of dual careers in high-performance sport. Retrieved from http://ec.europa.eu/sport/library/documents/dual-career-guidelines-final_en.pd (Accessed on March 13th, 2024).
European Athlete as Student Network (EAS). 2022. https://www.dualcareer.eu/about-eas/ (Accessed on March 9th, 2024).
Ewing, D.R., & Allen, C.T. (2017). Self-congruence is not everything for a brand: Initial evidence supporting the relevance of identity cultivation in a college student role-identity context. Journal of Brand Management, 24(5), 405–422
Felton, L., & Jowett, S. (2017). A self-determination theory perspective on attachment, need satisfaction, and well-being in a sample of athletes: A longitudinal study. Journal of Clinical Sport Psychology, 11(4), 304–323. https://doi.org/10.1123/jcsp.2016-0013
Freeman, P., & Rees, T. (2010). Perceived social support from team-mates: Direct and stress-buffering effects on self-confidence. European Journal of Sport Science, 10(1), 59–67. https://doi.org/10.1080/17461390903049998
Galli, N., & Gonzalez, S.P. (2015). Psychological resilience in sport: A review of the literature and implications for research and practice. International Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 13(3), 243–257
García, A. J., Fong, C. J., & Regalado, Y. M. (2023). Motivational, identity-based, and self-regulatory factors associated with academic achievement of US collegiate student-athletes: A meta-analytic investigation. Educational Psychology Review, 35(1), 14. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-023-09730-8
Gomez, J., Bradley, J. & Conway, P., (2018). The challenges of a high-performance student athlete. Irish Educational Studies, 37(3), 329-349. https://doi.org/10.1080/03323315.2018.1484299
Graham, S., & Weiner, B. (2012). Motivation: Past, present, and future. In K. R. Harris, S. Graham, T. Urdan, C. B. McCormick, G. M. Sinatra, & J. Sweller (Eds.), APA educational psychology handbook, Vol. 1. Theories, constructs, and critical issues (367–397). American Psychological Association. https://doi.org/10.1037/13273-013
Griffith, K.A., & Johnson, K.A. (2002). Athletic identity and life roles of Division I and Division III collegiate athletes. Journal of Undergraduate Research, 5(1), 225-231.
Grolnick, W. S., & Ryan, R. M. (1989). Parent styles associated with children’s self-regulation and competence in school. Journal of Educational Psychology, 81(2), 143–154. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-0663.81.2.143
Guidotti, F., Cortis, C., & Capranica, L. (2015). Dual career of European student-athletes: A systematic literature review. Kinesiologia Slovenica, 21, 5-20.
Hagiwara, G., Iwatsuki, T., Isogai, H., Van Raalte, J. L., & Brewer, B. W. (2017). Relationships among sports helplessness, depression, and social support in American college student-athletes. Journal of Physical Education and Sport, 17(2), 753–757. https://doi.org/10.7752/jpes.2017.02114
Harrison, C. K, & Lawrence, S. M. (2004). Female and male student athletes’ per-ceptions of career transition in sport and higher education: A visual elicitation and qualitative assessment. Journal of Vocational Education and Training, 56, 485-506
Henriksen, K., Stambulova, N., & Roessler, K. K. (2010). Holistic approach to ath-letic talent development environments: A successful sailing milieu. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 11, 212-222.
Higher Education Authority. (2023). Overview of Statistics for Higher Education. https://hea.ie/statistics/data-for-download-and-visualisations/students/
Ivarsson, A., Stenling, A., Fallby, J., Johnson, U., Borg, E., & Johansson, G. (2015). The predictive ability of the talent development environment on youth elite football players’ wellbeing: A person-centered approach. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 16, 15-23.
Jigsaw. (2022). Profiling third level students: Mental health and wellbeing survey 2. Jigsaw. https://jigsaw.ie/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/profiling_thirdlevel_student_MWS2.pdf
Jeyagowri, G., & Ilankumaran, M., (2018). The role of students in transition from school to college: Different challenges in Elt. International Journal of English Language Teaching, 6(8), 1-10.
Jones, M.I., & Lavallee, D., (2009). Exploring the life skills needs of British adolescent athletes. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 10(1), 159-167
Kaplan, A., & Flum, H., (2010). Achievement goal orientations and identity formation styles. Educational Research Review, 5(1), 50-67
Kegelaers, J., Wylleman, P., Defruyt, S., Praet, L., Stambulova, N., & Torregrossa, M., (2022). The mental health of student-athletes: a systematic scoping review. International Review of Sport and Exercise Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1080/1750984X.2022.2095657
Chen, C.H., Tanaka, K., Kotera, M., & Funatsu, K., (2020). Comparison and improvement of the predictability and interpretability with ensemble learning models in QSPR applications. Journal of Cheminformatics, 12, 1-16.
Kristiansen, E., & Roberts, G. (2010). Young elite athletes and social support: Coping with competitive and organizational stress in “Olympic” competition—Kristiansen—2010—Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports—Wiley Online Library. https://onlinelibrary-wiley-com.proxy.lib.pdx.edu/doi/10.1111/j.1600-0838.2009.00950.x
Lairio, M., Puukari, S., & Kouvo, A. (2013). Studying at university as part of student life and identity construction. Scandinavian Journal of Educational Research, 57, 115-131.
Lally, P. (2007). Identity and athletic retirement: A prospective study. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 8(1), 85–99
Lally, P. S., & Kerr, G. A. (2005). The career planning, athletic identity, and student role identity of intercollegiate student athletes. Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport, 76(3), 275–285. https://doi.org/10.1080/02701367.2005.10599299
Lavallee, D. (2005). The effect of a life development intervention on sports career transition adjustment. The Sport Psychologist, 19(2), 193–202.
Lent, R. W., & Lopez, F. G. (2002). Cognitive ties that bind: A tripartite view of efficacy beliefs in growth-promoting relationships. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 21(3), 256–286. https://doi.org/10.1521/jscp.21.3.256.22535
Lipson, S.K., Lattie, E.G., & Eisenberg, D. (2019). Increased rates of mental health service utilization by U.S. College Students: 10-year population-level trends (2007–2017). Psychiatric Services, 70(1), 60-63.
López De Subijana, C., Barriopedro, M., & Conde, E. (2015). Supporting dual career in Spain: Elite athletes’ barriers to study. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 21, 57-64. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychsport.2015.04.012
Mallett, C., Kawabata, M., Newcombe, P., Otero-Forero, A., & Jackson, S. (2007). Sport motivation scale-6 (SMS-6): A revised six-factor sport motivation scale. Psychology of sport and exercise, 8(5), 600-614.
Miller, P.S., & Kerr, G.A. (2003). The role experimentation of intercollegiate student athletes. The Sport Psychologist, 17(2), 196–219
Moazami-Goodarzi, A., Sorkkila, M., Aunola, K., & Ryba, T.V. (2020). Antecedents and Consequences of Student-Athletes’ Identity Profiles in Upper Secondary School. Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 42(2), 132-142
Mortimer, J. T., Lam, J., & Lee, S-R. (2015). Transformation, erosion, or disparity in work identity? Challenges during the contemporary transition to adulthood. In K. C. McLean & M. Syed (Eds). The Oxford handbook of identity development (319-336). New York, NY: Oxford University Press.
Murphy, M.H., Carlin, A., Woods, C., Nevill, A., MacDonncha, C., Ferguson, K., … et al. (2018). Active students are healthier and happier than their inactive peers: The results of a large representative cross-sectional study of university students in Ireland. Journal of Physical Activity and Health, 15(10), 737-746.
National Collegiate Athletic Association Guidelines, (2023). https://www.ncaa.org/sports/2021/2/10/student-athletes-current-staying-track-graduate.aspx (Accessed on April 6th, 2024)
Parker, P. C., Daniels, L. M., & Goegan, L. D. 2023. Testing a measure of perceived sport control in student athletes. Journal of Sport Behavior, 46(3), 55–66.
Parker, M., DeFreese, J. D., & Smith, A. L. (2021). The impact of social support and motivation on the athletic identity of college athletes. Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 43(2), 211-226. https://doi.org/10.1123/jsep.2020-0335
Paulsen, A. M., & Betz, N. E. 2004. Basic Confidence Predictors of Career Decision-Making Self-Efficacy. The Career Development Quarterly, 52(4), 354–362. https://doi.org/10.1002/j.2161-0045.2004.tb00951.x
Price, A., & Smith, H. A. (2019). USI national report on student mental health in third level education. Dublin: Union of Students in Ireland. Retrieved from https://usi.ie/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/WEB-USI-MH-report-1.pdf
Qualtrics Sample Size Calculator. 2024. https://www.qualtrics.com/blog/calculating-sample-size/ (Accessed March 5th, 2024)
Quinaud, R.T., Gonçalves, C.E., Possamai, K., Morais, C.Z., Capranica, L., & Carvalho, H.M. (2020). Validity and usefulness of the student-athletes’ motivation toward sport and academics questionnaire: a Bayesian multilevel approachPeerJ, 9, e11863
Raabe, J., & Zakrajsek, R. A. (2017). Purposeful engagement of social support to enhance the well-being of student-athletes. Journal of Intercollegiate Sport, 10(1), 1-21. https://doi.org/10.1123/jis.2016-0033
Raabe, J., & Zakrajsek, R. A. (2017). Coaches and Teammates as Social Agents for Collegiate Athletes’ Basic Psychological Need Satisfaction. https://journals-ku-edu.proxy.lib.pdx.edu/jis/article/view/10102
Rees, T., & Hardy, L. (2004). Matching social support with stressors: Effects on factors underlying performance in tennis. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 5(3), 319–337. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1469-0292(03)00018-9
Reifsteck, E. J., Gill, D. L. & Labban, J. D. (2016). ‘Athletes’ and ‘exercisers’: Understanding identity, motivation, and physical activity. Sport, Exercise, and Performance Psychology, 5, 25-38.
Ronkainen, N. J., Kavoura, A., & Ryba, T. V. (2016). A meta-study of athletic identity research in sport psychology: Current status and future directions. International Review of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 9, 45-64.
Rufer, L. S., & Love, S. M. (2021). Am I a student or an athlete? An examination of motivation and identity in DIII student-athletes. Journal of Issues in Intercollegiate Athletics, 14(6), 89-110. https://scholarcommons.sc.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1337&context=jiia
Russell, W. (2021). The role of perceived social support and athletic identity on college female athletes’ burnout. Journal of Sport Behavior, 44(1), 1-15.
Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2000). Self-determination theory and the facilitation of intrinsic motivation, social development, and well-being. American Psychologist, 55(1), 68–78. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.55.1.68
Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2017). Self-determination theory: Basic psychological needs in motivation, development, and wellness. Guilford Press. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.55.1.68
Ryba, T. V., Stambulova, N. B., Selänne, H., Aunola, K., & Nurmi, J.E. (2017). “Sport has always been first for me” but “all my free time is spent doing homework”: Dual career styles in late adolescence. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 33, 131–140. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychsport.2017.08.011
Saunders, E. (2021). Exploring dual career practice and experiences of third-level student-athletes and stakeholders in Ireland. University of Stirling. http://hdl.handle.net/1893/33574
Sedlacek, W. (2017). Measuring noncognitive variables: Improving admissions and post enrollment services in higher education. Stylus Publishing, LLC.
Smith, A. B., & Hardin, R. (2018). Female student-athletes’ transition out of collegiate competition. Journal of Amateur Sport, 4, 61-86.
Smith, J. (2010). Academic identities for the twenty-first century. Teaching in Higher Education, 15(6), 721-727.
Stambulova, N.B., & Ryba, T.V. (2014). A critical review of career research and assistance through the cultural lens: Towards cultural praxis of athletes’ careers. International Review of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 7(1), 1–17
Stambulova, N. B., & Wylleman, P. (2019). Psychology of athletes’ dual careers: A state-of-the-art critical review of the Europeans discourse. Psychology of Sport & Exercise, 42, 74-88.
Stambulova, N. B., Engström, C., Franck, A., Linnér, L., & Lindahl, K. (2015). Searching for an optimal balance: Dual career experiences of Swedish adolescent athletes. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 21, 4-14.
Stambulova, N., Alfermann, D., Statler, T., & Côté, J. (2009). ISSP Position stand: Career development and transitions of athletes. International Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 7, 395–412. https://doi.org/10.1080/1612197X.2009.9671916
Steare, T., Thapar, A., Riglin, L., Eyre, O., Rice, F., Sellers, R., … et al. (2023). The association between academic pressure and adolescent mental health problems: A systematic review. Journal of Adolescence, 96, 123-142.
Steele, A.R., van Rens, F. and Ashley, R. (2020). A systematic literature review on the academic and athletic identities of student-Athletes. Journal of Intercollegiate Sport, 13(1), 69-92. Available at: https://doi.org/10.17161/jis.v13i1.13502
Stryker, S. (1987). Identity theory: developments and extensions. In K. Yardley, & T. Hones (Eds.), Self and identity: Psychosocial perspectives (83-103). New York, NY: Wiley.
Stryker, S., & Burke, P. J. (2000). The past, present, and future of an identity theory. Social Psychology Quarterly, 63, 284-297.
Sturm, J. E., Feltz, D.L., & Gilson, T.A. (2011). A comparison of athlete and student identity for Division I and Division III athletes. Journal of Sport Behavior, 34, 295-306.
Tajfel, H. (1978). Differentiation between social groups: studies in the social psychology of intergroup relations. European Association of Experimental Social Psychology by Academic Press.
Talaifar, S., & Swann, W.B. Jr. (2018). Introduction to special issue of Self and Identity on identity fusion. Self and Identity, 17(5), 483-48
Uğraş, Y., Özbek, M., & Aydemir, M. (2024). Understanding the motivation of dual-career athletes: A study of Turkish university athletes. BMC Psychology, 12, Article 199. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-024-01565-4.
UNESCO. (2020). Global education monitoring (GEM) report 2020. UNESCO Publishing. Retrieved from https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/global-education-monitoring-gem-report-2020
Van Rens, F. E. C. A., Ashley, R. A., & Steele, A. R. (2019). Well-being and performance in dual careers: The role of academic and athletic identities. The Sport Psychologist, 33(1), 42–51. https://doi.org/10.1123/tsp.2018-0026
Williams, G. C., & Deci, E. L. (1996). Internalization of biopsychosocial values by medical students: A test of self-determination theory. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 70(4), 767–779. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.70.4.767
Wolters, C.A. & Brady, A.C. (2021). College students’ time management: A self-regulated learning perspective. Journal of Educational Psychology, 113(1), 203-218.
Wylleman, P, Rosier, N & De Knop, P 2015, Transitional challenges and elite athletes’ mental health. in J Baker, P Safai & J Fraser-Thomas (eds), Health and elite sport. Is high performance sport a healthy pursuit?. Routledge Research in Sport, Culture and Society, vol. 38, Routledge, Oxon, UK, pp. 99-116.. https://researchportal.vub.be/en/publications/transitional-challenges-and-elite-athletes-mental-health
Wylleman, P., & Lavallee, D. (2004). A developmental perspective on transitions faced by athletes. In M.R. Weiss (Ed.), Developmental sport and exercise psychology: A lifespan perspective (503–523)
Yopyk, D. J. A., & Prentice, D. A. (2005). Am I an athlete or a student? Identity salience and stereotype threat in student-athletes. Basic and Applied Social Psychology, 27(4), 329–336. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15324834basp2704_5
Yukhymenko-Lescroart, M. A. 2014. Students and athletes? Development of the academic and athletic identity scale (AAIS). Sport, Exercise, and Performance Psychology, 3, 89-101.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2024 Journal of ROL Sport Sciences
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
The journal is licensed under a 
