Date of Graduation

12-2015

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education in Recreation and Sport Management (EdD)

Degree Level

Graduate

Department

Health, Human Performance and Recreation

Advisor/Mentor

Merry Moiseichik

Committee Member

Leah Henry

Second Committee Member

Sarah Stokowski

Third Committee Member

Wen-Juo Lo

Keywords

Social sciences, Education, Athletic identity, Career maturity, College athletics, Student-athlete, Women's basketball

Abstract

This study explored the relationship between the athletic identity and career maturity of women’s basketball student-athletes. Differences in athletic identity and career maturity were also investigated based on a women’s basketball student-athlete’s level of competition, race, year in school, socioeconomic status, and professional athletic career aspirations. In order to examine the relationship between these variables, a convenience sample of 209 women’s basketball student-athletes from NCAA Division I (n = 62), NCAA Division II (n = 40), NCAA Division III (n = 50), and NAIA (n = 57) institutions located in the southeastern region of the United States participated in the study. Participants completed the Career Maturity Inventory-Revised Attitude Scale, the Athletic Identity Measurement Scale, and a demographic questionnaire. From the analyses, it was found that for women’s basketball student-athletes, stronger identification with the athletic role is associated with lower levels of career maturity. It was also found that NCAA Division I student-athletes had significantly higher levels of athletic identity and significantly lower levels of career maturity than Division II student-athletes. Likewise, student-athletes that planned to pursue a professional basketball career (n = 76) displayed significantly higher levels of athletic identity and significantly lower levels of career maturity than those that do not (n = 133). However, study results did not find any statistically significant differences in athletic identity or career maturity based on a women’s basketball student-athlete’s race, year in school, or socioeconomic status. Future research should explore an interaction of psychological variables that may affect the relationship of athletic identity and career maturity of women’s basketball student-athletes as well as investigate the athletic identity and career maturity of female student-athletes from other sports where there is a potential to compete professionally.

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