Presenter(s)
Kaidin Barnes, Kylie Buck, Paige Christianson, and Kyra Nelson
Abstract
Understanding factors associated with mental health among collegiate athletes may help inform targeted support and reduce barriers to care. This study examined relationships among athletic identity, perceived stigma, psychological distress, and sport participation in college students. Participants (N = 312) reported varsity or club sport involvement, with 28.2% identifying as varsity or club athletes. Variables measured included athletic identity, perceived stigma, and symptoms of anxiety, depression, and stress. A subset of participants also reported injury history. Data were analyzed using correlations and independent samples t-tests. Athletic identity was moderately and positively associated with stigma, indicating that students who identified more strongly as athletes reported greater perceived stigma. Anxiety, depression, and stress were strongly interrelated, suggesting that psychological distress tended to co-occur. Sport participants reported slightly lower anxiety than non-participants, though differences in depression and stress were minimal. Varsity athletes reported significantly stronger athletic identity than club athletes, but groups did not differ meaningfully in stigma or mental health. Overall, findings suggest that identity-related factors may play a larger role in students’ psychological experiences than sport participation alone, highlighting the importance of addressing stigma and athletic identity in campus mental health efforts.
College
College of Liberal Arts
Department
Psychology
Campus
Winona
First Advisor/Mentor
Tricia Karr
Location
Kryzsko Great River Ballroom, Winona, Minnesota; United States
Start Date
4-23-2026 10:00 AM
End Date
4-23-2026 11:00 AM
Presentation Type
Poster Session
Format of Presentation or Performance
In-Person
Session
1b=10am-11am
Poster Number
4
Understanding Factors Associated with Mental Health Among Collegiate Athletes
Kryzsko Great River Ballroom, Winona, Minnesota; United States
Understanding factors associated with mental health among collegiate athletes may help inform targeted support and reduce barriers to care. This study examined relationships among athletic identity, perceived stigma, psychological distress, and sport participation in college students. Participants (N = 312) reported varsity or club sport involvement, with 28.2% identifying as varsity or club athletes. Variables measured included athletic identity, perceived stigma, and symptoms of anxiety, depression, and stress. A subset of participants also reported injury history. Data were analyzed using correlations and independent samples t-tests. Athletic identity was moderately and positively associated with stigma, indicating that students who identified more strongly as athletes reported greater perceived stigma. Anxiety, depression, and stress were strongly interrelated, suggesting that psychological distress tended to co-occur. Sport participants reported slightly lower anxiety than non-participants, though differences in depression and stress were minimal. Varsity athletes reported significantly stronger athletic identity than club athletes, but groups did not differ meaningfully in stigma or mental health. Overall, findings suggest that identity-related factors may play a larger role in students’ psychological experiences than sport participation alone, highlighting the importance of addressing stigma and athletic identity in campus mental health efforts.
