Evaluating the Effectiveness of a First-Year Resilience Program for Student Athletes
Major
Psychology
Submission Type
Poster
Area of Study or Work
Psychology
Faculty Advisor
Lindsey Kellar
Location
CNS Atrium
Start Date
4-12-2025 11:15 AM
End Date
4-12-2025 12:15 PM
Abstract
Resilience is a process of positive adaptation as a result of significant adversity. For freshman student-athletes, the transition from high school to college involves unprecedented stressors such as social adjustments, academic pressures, and competitive sports environments (Pierce, et. al, 2024). These novel stressors can significantly impact the overall well-being of an individual, affecting academic progress and athletic performance. For student-athletes, developing resilience will not only help them prevent mental and physical obstacles, but also enable them to effectively handle these challenges when they inevitably arise. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a first-year resilience program implemented at a Division III institution in the Midwest. A total of 216 male and female student-athletes from twenty collegiate teams (nine individual sport teams and eleven team sport teams), participated in a series of monthly workshops in their first semester. Workshops focused on identity, coping skills, social support, and leadership, bringing together student-athletes from both team and individual sports. Surveys were completed by participants before the first session (Time 1) and again at the end of the last session (Time 2). This focused on overall changes in resilience scores from Time 1 to Time 2 and analyzed whether the impact differed between team and individual sport athletes. Results indicated that resilience scores were maintained between Time 1 and Time 2 and differences were found between individual and team sport athletes with perceived stress. Individual sport athletes reported feeling stressed or nervous more often than team sport athletes at both Time 1 and Time 2. This study supports the use of this particular first-year resilience program and highlights potential differences in perceived stress for individual and team sports.
Evaluating the Effectiveness of a First-Year Resilience Program for Student Athletes
CNS Atrium
Resilience is a process of positive adaptation as a result of significant adversity. For freshman student-athletes, the transition from high school to college involves unprecedented stressors such as social adjustments, academic pressures, and competitive sports environments (Pierce, et. al, 2024). These novel stressors can significantly impact the overall well-being of an individual, affecting academic progress and athletic performance. For student-athletes, developing resilience will not only help them prevent mental and physical obstacles, but also enable them to effectively handle these challenges when they inevitably arise. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a first-year resilience program implemented at a Division III institution in the Midwest. A total of 216 male and female student-athletes from twenty collegiate teams (nine individual sport teams and eleven team sport teams), participated in a series of monthly workshops in their first semester. Workshops focused on identity, coping skills, social support, and leadership, bringing together student-athletes from both team and individual sports. Surveys were completed by participants before the first session (Time 1) and again at the end of the last session (Time 2). This focused on overall changes in resilience scores from Time 1 to Time 2 and analyzed whether the impact differed between team and individual sport athletes. Results indicated that resilience scores were maintained between Time 1 and Time 2 and differences were found between individual and team sport athletes with perceived stress. Individual sport athletes reported feeling stressed or nervous more often than team sport athletes at both Time 1 and Time 2. This study supports the use of this particular first-year resilience program and highlights potential differences in perceived stress for individual and team sports.