The Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Well-Being of Student-Athletes
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The Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Well-Being of Student-Athletes Laura Burge Department of Applied Human Sciences University of Prince Edward Island Charlottetown, PE, Canada A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the Honours Program in the Department of Applied Human Sciences This Thesis is Accepted Dean of Science University of Prince Edward Island March 2021 PERMISSION TO USE HONOURS PAPER Title of paper: The Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Well-Being of Student- Athletes Name of Author: Laura Burge Department: Applied Human Sciences Degree: Bachelor of Science with Honours in Kinesiology Year: 2021 Name of Supervisor(s): Dr. Dany MacDonald In presenting this paper in partial fulfillment of the requirements for an honours degree from the University of Prince Edward Island, I agree that the Libraries of this University may make it freely available for inspection and give permission to add an electronic version of the honours paper to the Digital Repository at the University of Prince Edward Island. I further agree that permission for extensive copying of this paper for scholarly purposes may be granted by the professors who supervised my work, or, in their absence, by the Chair of the Department or the Dean of the Faculty in which my paper was done. It is understood any copying or publication or use of this paper or parts thereof for financial gain shall not be allowed without my written permission. It is also understood that due recognition shall be given to me and to the University of Prince Edward Island in any scholarly use which may be made of any material in my paper. Signature [of author]: Laura Burge Address [Department]: 550 University Avenue, Charlottetown, PE C1A 4P3 Date: 15 March 2021 ii ABSTRACT Extensive research has been conducted investigating the university experiences of student-athletes. Additionally, there is significant literature to suggest that major disruptions to one’s life can have negative effects on their well-being (Lu, 1994; Reynolds & Turner, 2008). Given the onset of a global pandemic amidst their university careers, it is important to investigate how the cancellation of their varsity seasons and the transition of their courses to a primarily-online platform has impacted student-athletes. However, due to the novelty of the pandemic, its impact on their experiences has yet to be explored. As such, the purpose of this study was to determine how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the well-being of student-athletes. To do so, a total of 18 student- athletes (9 male, 9 female) participated in the research. The sample had representation from 2nd-, 3rd-, and 4th-year student-athletes from varsity soccer, basketball, and hockey at UPEI. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with each participant to gain an understanding of what their lives were like during the pandemic. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and a thematic analysis was conducted to identify key themes from the data. Themes emerged across four dimensions: personal impact, psychological/academic impact, physical impact, and social impact. Discussion of the results examined how these factors influenced the physical and mental well-being of the student-athletes and compared the findings to past literature. As well, a series of recommendations for student-athletes, coaches, and universities to improve the well- being of student-athletes moving forward, was provided. In conclusion, it was determined that the majority of participants reported negative impacts on their overall well-being as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This research project would not have been possible without the help I received from my supervisor, Dr. Dany MacDonald and committee member, Dr. Mike MacLellan. Thank you, Dr. Mike for being so positive and motivating throughout this experience. Your first-hand observations of NCAA athletics provided a unique outlook on this project, and your feedback throughout the year was extremely helpful. Dany, thank you so much for all the time and energy you invested into helping me with this project. Your extensive knowledge and experience in this field were very valuable to both me and the project as a whole. You have been an incredible supervisor, and I am very grateful to have had the opportunity to learn from you and work with you in this capacity. A special thank you to my family for always being so supportive and encouraging of everything I do. You guys have always been my biggest fans, and I truly appreciate everything you have done for me. You made online university bearable and working from home fun. Thank you to all of my friends for getting me through the highs and the lows. I couldn’t have finished this degree without your on-going support. A big thanks to all of the student-athletes who took the time to sit down for my interviews. I know your time is important and it was greatly appreciated. The information you all gave provided the foundation of this entire project. It would not have been possible without your willingness to participate. Finally, to all my fellow Kin grads, I’m thankful for all the memories we’ve had in our four years together. Although it wasn’t the senior year anyone expected, I’m glad that we got through it together. I wish you all the best of luck in the future. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS PERMISSION TO USE HONOURS PAPER……………………………………………ii ABSTRACT ....................................................................................................................... iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ............................................................................................... iv LIST OF TABLES…………………………………………………………………….….vi INTRODUCTION………………………………………………………………………...1 LITERATURE REVIEW ....................................................................................................3 METHODS ........................................................................................................................14 RESULTS………………………………………………………………………………..20 DISCUSSION ....................................................................................................................31 CONCLUSION ..................................................................................................................41 REFERENCES…………………………………………………………………………..42 APPENDIX A ....................................................................................................................41 APPENDIX B……………………………………………………………………………52 APPENDIX C ....................................................................................................................55 APPENDIX D ....................................................................................................................58 APPENDIX E ....................................................................................................................60 v LIST OF TABLES Table 1: Participant Demographics...……………………………………………………12 Table 2: Higher-Order and Lower-Order Themes Identified in the Data……………….18 vi INTRODUCTION University student-athletes have been a population of study interest in recent years (e.g., Rathwell & Young, 2019). As young adults, they represent a new developmental period between adolescence and adulthood, called emerging adulthood. Arnett (2000) coined this term and defined the transitional period to consist of independence, exploration, and change. Therefore, the activities that student-athletes partake in during this period are important for their personal development and define their university experience. Because their varsity sport involvement occupies a significant amount of time and energy during this period, it is common for many student-athletes to develop an athletic identity, in which they view their athletic involvement as part of who they are (Killeya- Jones, 2005). Nonetheless, with strong extrinsic motivation to succeed in their university studies, student-athletes often perform well academically. Many positive developmental outcomes have been reported by student-athletes, including improved initiative, teamwork, and social skills (Rathwell & Young, 2016). However, the significant influence being a student-athlete has on one’s life may be consequential to their well- being when they are unexpectedly removed from sport (Appaneal et al., 2009; Wippert & Wippert, 2010). Well-being can be described as “what is ultimately good for a person” (Crisp, 2001). For the purpose of this study, one’s physical and mental health will be considered key components of one’s well-being. Factors influencing physical health include diet, exercise, and sleep habits (Government of Canada, 2020; Ross et al., 2020); while factors 1 influencing mental health include routines, social interactions, and the activities individuals engage in (Koome et al., 2012; Shankar et al., 2015; Haar et al., 2014). Significant disruptions in one’s life can have negative effects on their well-being (Lu, 1994; Reynolds & Turner, 2008). The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in a major disruption in the lives of people across the globe, by sparking a shut-down of all non-essential services (Liu et al., 2020). In addition to experiencing similar repercussions as the general population, student-athletes at the University of Prince Edward Island (UPEI) had their university experiences drastically altered. Their course instruction shifted to a primarily-online format and their varsity sport seasons were cancelled, which changed both their role as a student and an athlete. Given these