The role of type of sport, race, and gender in the identity, self-concept, and grade point average of Division One student-athletes

Abstract

This study used the 1996 cohort of the NCAA's Basic Academic Skills Study (BASS) to explore the relationships of among gender, race, expected grade point average, academic identity, athletic identity, and self-concept of student-athletes. Identity and self-concept are proposed as proxy variables for exploring student-athlete development. To address the research questions, a secondary analysis was performed on the BASS dataset using multiple regression, MANOVA, and Repeated Measures MANOVA. The multiple regression analyses supported the hypothesis that type of sport, athletic identity, academic identity, and self-concept are significant non-aptitude related predictors of expected grade point average. Secondly, the two one-way MANOVA's revealed significant group differences in the academic identity of freshman female and male and white and non-white student-athletes. However, no group differences were found when comparing freshman student-athletes in revenue and non-revenue sports. Lastly, the Repeated Measures MANOVA indicates between the beginning of student-athletes freshman year and the end of their sophomore year there were significant increases in academic identity and decreases in athletic identity. The findings will aid future research on student-athlete development, and the creation of academic support and life skills programs (i.e., the NCAA CHAMPS Life Skills Program). This research supports the critical role that social workers can play in the academic development of student-athletes.