Well-Being and Performance in Dual Careers: The Role of Academic and Athletic Identities

in The Sport Psychologist

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Fleur E.C.A. van Rens Murdoch University

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Rebecca A. Ashley Murdoch University

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Andrea R. Steele Murdoch University

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DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1123/tsp.2018-0026
Keywords:
education; life satisfaction; sport; student-athlete; talent development
In Print:
Volume 33: Issue 1
Page Range:
42–51
Restricted access

This paper presents a complementary multimethod approach to investigate the academic and athletic identities of Australian student-athletes. In Study 1, the authors explored the academic and athletic identities of 8 student-athletes using semistructured interviews. Results are congruent with the model of multiple dimensions of identity and indicate that student-athletes develop both academic and athletic identities. The corresponding fulfillment of self-determined needs in both academic and athletic identities was deemed beneficial to student-athletes’ well-being. The authors used a quantitative approach (N = 86) in Study 2 and found that academic identity was positively associated with student-athletes’ academic performance and life satisfaction. Differences in athletic identity were found based on the student-athletes’ sport-competition levels. No significant associations were found between the student-athletes’ academic and athletic identities.

The authors are with the School of Psychology and Exercise Science, Murdoch University, Perth, WA, Australia.

van Rens (F.vanRens@murdoch.edu.au) is corresponding author.
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