Relationships Between Athlete Activist Identities and Resilience in College Athletes

• Main Authors: Scheadler, Travis, Reese, Robert, Cormier, Marc
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Bowling Green State University 2021-03-01
• Series: Journal of Athlete Development and Experience
• Online Access: https://scholarworks.bgsu.edu/jade/vol3/iss1/3/

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.