Date of Graduation
2008
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Type
MS
Committee Chair
Andrew C. Ostrow
Abstract
Research in higher education has suggested that adjustment to college is a developmental process in which first year students must attend to certain developmental tasks in order to properly adjust to their new environment (Chickering & Reisser, 1993; Medalie, 1981). However, studentathletes have been noted are a special population within the student body that have unique experiences and needs (Etzel, Ferrante, & Pinkney, 1996). The purpose of this study was to examine the adjustment to college process of first year student-athletes and non-athletes and explore the influence of athletic identity and life stress on student-athlete adjustment to college. Surveys assessing adjustment to college, life stress, and athletic identity were completed by a sample of Division I student-athletes (n=38) and non-athletes (n=44) during the second week of classes and the second to last week of classes during their first semester. A follow-up focus group was conducted with a sample of student-athletes (n=10) during the last week of class. The results indicated that student-athletes and non-athletes did not differ in adjustment over time, but both groups declined in all facets of adjustment from Time 1 to Time 2. In addition, studentathletes with high athletic identity were found to experience significantly more academic and personal-emotional adjustment difficulties over time than student-athletes with low athletic identity. Life stress was not found to be related to the adjustment of student-athletes and nonathletes although both groups indicated a statistically significant rise in negative life stress over the course of the semester. Qualitative data from the student-athlete’s focus group indicated that being an athlete complicated adjustment in academic, social, and personal aspects of their lives. Themes such as sport as a priority, managing time and multiple demands, lack of recovery, lack of understanding from others, and perceptions of stereotypes emerged as salient factors that influenced student-athletes’ adjustment as a result of their athletic participation.
Recommended Citation
Monda, Samantha J., "Smooth transitions: The role of athletic identity and life stress in the freshman student-athlete and non-athlete adjustment process." (2008). Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD). 11092.
https://researchrepository.wvu.edu/etd/11092