The impact of student-athlete social identity on psychosocial adjustment during a challenging educational transition

Abstract

First paragraph: For many students entering postsecondary education, the ability to adjust to both academic and non-academic challenges can be critical for success. The first-year experience can be taxing—often accompanied by a variety of psychological and academic stressors such as critical career choices, heightened expectations, heavier course loads, and even social pressures (Perry, 2003; Perry et al., 2001; Kantanis, 2000; Vallianatos et al., 2019). It can also be impacted by other factors such as financial issues, academic and social readiness for college, physical health (e.g., negative health behaviours), and personality factors (e.g., self-esteem, optimism; Al-Qaisy, 2010; Boulter, 2002; Hamm et al., 2019; Pritchard et al., 2007; Sharma, 2012; Secuban, 2012). This experience can be particularly demanding for student-athletes who balance multiple commitments (Chyi et al., 2018; Gomez et al., 2018; Melendez, 2010).