Author Type

Undergraduate Student

Date of Award

5-2020

Document Type

Capstone

Publication Status

Version of Record

Submission Date

June 2026

Department

Sociology

College Granting Degree

Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters

Department Granting Degree

Department of Sociology

Degree Name

Honors in Major

Thesis/Dissertation Advisor [Chair]

Not Available

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to understand how collegiate student athletes cope with stress and mental health concerns Specifically, I ask: (1) How does the role of being a student-athlete affect one’s mental health? (2) Are there gender differences in how student-athletes cope with stress? Using data from in-depth interviews with 10 male student-athletes and 10 female student-athletes, I found that the student-athlete experience had both positive and negative impacts on an individual’s stress and overall mental wellness. Student-athletes benefited from the collegiate athletic experience in various ways—including career opportunities and learned skills like time-management. However, student-athletes also endured large amounts of stress stemming from the role conflict involved in sport participation and academic performance. This research clearly proves the strong impact that gender roles and societal stigma has on the effects of role conflict for mental well-being. I found that gender impacted the sources of stress and how student-athletes understand the ways they are supposed to cope with stress. Studentathletes’ interpersonal relationships with teammates and coaches could either serve as a positive buffer from emotional challenges—or intensify the emotional struggles an athlete endures. Far too many athletes felt as though help-seeking behaviors signaled weakness. The majority of the athletes felt as though they would be better off handling emotional challenges on their own. Rather than identifying such mental health issues, student-athletes addressed these concerns as personal problems that were not crucial to their mental health. This research signifies the importance of understanding how student athletes cope with both stress and the challenges related to role conflict and mental illness stigma.

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