Mental Health Survey Analysis - 2021

What are the effects of pressure, support systems, and time spent in the culture of athletics impact on the mental health of collegiate student athletes as reported by current collegiate athletes?

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Introduction:

Simone Biles pulled out of the 2021 Summer Olympics due to mental health reasons, and was not the first professional athlete to give voice to mental health struggles. In recent months, many high profile athletes have published articles, documentaries, and have posted on social media sharing their experiences. Following the example of professionals, this conversation is finally beginning to happen in amateur athletics. I have noticed addressing mental health in the student athlete population is drawing increased attention from media, administration, and athletic communities. This comes as no surprise to myself and athletes I know who have experienced all of the incredible demands that college sports place on young adults. While broad surveys across various divisions in the NCAA have been conducted recently in attempts to identify ways to help athletes, those surveys fail to ask critical questions related to the role of pressure origins (pressure from superiors and reporting mental health vs pressure from yourself and reporting mental health), support systems (people willing to speak to superiors and reporting mental health issues vs people willing to speak to family and friend and reporting mental health issues), and how this culture impacts athletes over time (what year are you and reporting mental health issues). With all that being said, I came up with a research question that asks, “What are the effects of pressure, support systems, and time spent in the culture of athletics impact on the mental health of collegiate student athletes as reported by current collegiate athletes?

Data:

The survey obtained a sample size of 54 respondents. A majority of the respondents identified as females (80%), who played a division 1 sport (50%), and have had or struggled with mental illness (44%). I obtained this convenience sample by sending out a mass email to my teammates and close friends who are athletes at other schools. Even though I had 20 respondents at that point, I wanted to increase my sample size so I shared my survey link on social media (Instagram) as well.

Methods:

In the analysis of my study I wanted to take a closer look at the bivariate statistics regarding mental health of student athletes. When creating this survey I thought of questions that I wished I was asked in the surveys that all student athletes receive from either their respective school or the NCAA. I focused on variables such as the pressure that is applied to student athletes and how that affects their mental health as well as, how free they feel to talk about their mental health, and how their academic year (freshman, sophomore, junior, etc.) can impact their mental health. I am specifically using bivariate statistics because all of my survey questions result in categorical data that cannot be broken down into means, medians, or modes. Therefore, the analysis of my survey will be focused on the cross tabulations I created and the results that followed.

Results:

Figure 1 - student athletes responses to history of mental illness

Figure 1 indicates that 34% of the respondents reported never having or struggling with mental

illness.

Below are four figures that are composed of cross tabulations. Each cross tabulation holds constant the independent variable of struggles with mental health. For example, in Figure 2, the variables included are history of mental health struggles and the amount of pressure that is applied to the student athletes by their superiors.

Figure 2 - Pressure applied by superiors (i.e. coaches, trainer, athletic department) in relation to history of mental illness

Figure 4 - Ability to openly talk about mental health with superiors (i.e. coaches, trainers, and athletic department) & History of mental illness

Of the respondents who said “Y es” to struggling with mental illness, 95% of those respondents felt comfortable to some degree addressing their struggles with friends and family. When that same group of student athletes who reported struggling with mental health were asked how comfortable they felt talking to their superiors, only about 9% said they would feel “free” to talk to their superiors about their mental health. A similar trend is evident for those athletes who reported being “unsure/undiagnosed” in regards to having a mental health issue.

Figure 5 - History of struggling with mental illness & class year

In Figure 5, we can see the trend of respondents reporting struggles with mental health increases from freshman to junior year from about 9% to 45%, after which reported struggles decrease to about 20% and taper off to less than 5%. If this sample is representative of the population of student athletes, then this cross-sectional data can be applied to a longitudinal scenario that argues that over time student athletes are more likely to struggle with mental health issues until after they graduate. This trend could also be a product of increased self-awareness over time or the increase in academic difficulties. Moreover, these could be factors that ignite potential problems with spuriousness in the relationships.

Conclusion:

Conclusively, the original research question that I posed asks, “What are the effects of pressure, support systems, and time spent in the culture of athletics impact on the mental health of collegiate student athletes as reported by current collegiate athletes?” As the results show, a majority of current student athletes reported struggles with mental illness (44%). Over half of the 54 respondents felt that their superiors applied either “A lot” or “Great deal” of pressure. Furthermore, over 90% did not feel free to talk about their mental health with their superiors. A potential factor that might contribute to these feelings could be that a student athlete is worried to voice personal and vulnerable information in fear that it might impact their playing time or simply how they are viewed by their superiors. Lastly, there's an increase in struggle with mental health from freshman to junior year. After junior year it drops drastically to 22.7%. This could be due to a boost in morale given that it’s their last year. In hindsight there are several things that I would have added, managed better, or done differently. In particular, I wish I could have surveyed a more balanced population of student athletes when it comes to sport, division, and gender. If such a population was surveyed, then I could see if there were trends between specific sports and mental health and particularly, how comfortable they felt sharing with their superiors. Another change I would make is to omit the initial question of my survey, which was “Are you a current college student athlete?”. After sending out my survey and quickly receiving 20 responses, I immediately regretted not having non-student athletes take the test. If I had included non-student-athletes, I believe the comparisons between the two communities would encompass interesting findings and possibly show more of where the stress or mental health struggles originate for athletes. Regardless of these various changes I would like to make, I stand by my research. My specific question allowed me to dive deeper into the various factors that affect the mental health of athletes. Plus, the conversation of athletes’ mental health is more important than ever, given recent developments in the professional athlete community.

Slowing Down to Learn Your Message

I've always struggled to slow down and be where my feet are.

In the beginning stages of my life, I think it had to do with the fact that I always wanted what was next. I wanted the bigger, better chapter of my life, at every stage of my life. In my college years, I was never “where my feet were” because oftentimes I didn't like the situation I was in or what I was experiencing. When you dislike what you're going through, it makes sense to always look for what's next. But that’s a tough way to live. At least for me, it caused a great deal of anxiety, discontent, and unhappiness.

I am instead challenging myself to see what life lesson I can learn from these difficult, frustrating, or unexpected experiences. This has allowed me to live in the moment more often because I am not fighting with myself. I can be more productive in life, and more importantly I have found more joy in my life.

Think about it: when you live in the moment, each experience and memory is so deep and rich. They are vibrant and create a more colorful life, leading to a desire and excitement for each day. Learning this gave me a new strength in handling life.

Once you start to uncover your life message you have to start actively living your it. I always remind myself, "You have to empower your­self before you empower others." Understanding this was key for me.

You have to be truly about your message before you start teaching your message. Otherwise, you speak with less conviction and more uncertainty. Who is going to follow that message? In a world full of noise and uncertainty, people want something that they believe in and can hold steadfast. People want a message that they can put trust in.

As the founder of EM-POWERMENT, I hope to lead by example. (As my mom would say.)

Standards Vs. Expectations

There is a difference for sure, but what is it?

Are standards something you hold yourself to? In other words, self-governing laws.

Are expectations this ideology that we create for ourselves based on others stories, society's standards, social norms, or even what's trending?

Are standards something you hold yourself to? Are expectations for societal norms? There is for sure a difference, but what does that look like?

These questions keep coming to my brain when I think of my quote: "you can't tell your story before it happens but that doesn't mean you can't write it as you go and make it what you want!” Are standards and expectations what you want? Or what somebody else wants for you? I think standards and expectations can be subjective, but I want to talk a little bit about how they came to play in my mental state throughout college.

To start off, I had these very rigid, subconscious expectations of what my college career was going to look like. (And honestly, I've felt that way about most aspects of my life.) When things didn't happen the way I, myself, wanted, I didn't really fight back. I allowed myself to be pushed around by the inevitable hardships of life, societal norms, and what everybody else had expected of me rather than accepting the idea that I had a role in my own life. I began to play victim and ask "why me?" far too often.

In hindsight, I’d like to think that what I should have done was take life as it came. Put on my boxing gloves and fought back. Make my life my own story. I was so caught up in the expectations of what should happen in my life and my basketball career, that I was losing my own agency. When something did not go as planned, I was so quick to say my career and my story were failures. But how could I even say that, when neither my career, nor my story, have come even to an end? 

By prematurely viewing my experiences as failures it seems I was projecting and essentially manifesting these things to work out in a less than ideal way. Fighting my own story was me protecting myself from the fear of my experiences ending. I’m currently sitting here on the bus (to Colgate) realizing the fact that really my story has only just begun. I absolutely still struggle with taking my own advice in the quote, but it is something that I am challenging my­self with everyday. I will always stick by the fact that you can’t tell your story before it happens because when I did do that it enlightened me that my expectations were too stiff and rigid. With that, I fell into the trap of having a fixed mindset or expectation. When we have these expectations, we initially think they are good and that they push us. In reality, they set limits on us without us even realizing it. I only say this because hindsight is 20/20, and I have been through it first hand.

The expectations I placed on myself not only held me down and gave me limits, but they also were generous enough to give me depression. YOU get to write your story as you go, and make it what you want. You are holding the pen and paper to your own life - never forget how powerful that is! You get to pick up the pen when you want, write what you want, and if you wanna start a new page you have the power to flip to the next one and start writing. 

With that being said, keep in mind that what you write on a daily basis and how you carry yourself, those are your standards. Your standards are what you are okay with and allow whether you realize it or not. Your expectations are things you hope for and oftentimes ideal outcomes whatever that may look like.  

Don’t Just Be a Player, Become a Leader.

A look at making the most of the experience and not only becoming a better player but a better person and leader.

Your college career will come with a lot of variables that make it what it is. But, what is more important is that you recognize your college career is really what you make of it. At the end of your playing days you want to be able to look back and say that you took advantage of every opportunity that was given to you. You want to be able to say that you went above and beyond. And yeah, sure you had hard days but those are the days that helped you grow the most. Be that person on your team that sets new self-improvement goals every year, not just basketball goals. Be that person on your team that people can go to when they need someone to listen or lean on. College athletics is a great place grow as a person and leader always keep that in mind.

“What I Wish I Knew”

This is my fifth year as a student-athlete and there are many things I wish I knew beforehand.

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I understand that hindsight is 20/20 but I strive to create a culture in college athletics where the statement, "I wish I knew..." was used less. Out of all the things I wish I knew, the thing that stands out to me the most is that my college athlete experience has been nothing like I thought it would be however, it has enabled me to grow leaps and bounds.

When I was in high school I wanted to rush into my college career because I told myself that it was going to be everything that I saw on TV and in the movies. Then when I got to college I found myself regretting the days I had wished away. College is hard, and being a student-athlete is even harder.

Don’t Lose a Love for the Game

Burnout often happens and when it does, your passion turns into a burden. Don't let that happen.

This is a subject that is near and dear to my heart, and really the main reason I started EMpowerment. During my first two and a half years of college, I lost a lot of love for the game. Rather than the basketball court being my solace, it became a place of stress and something I began to dread. I believe everyone loses love for the game for their own reasons, and I think often it’s more than one.

I remember talking with some of my friends and telling them how much I hated basketball and got to a point where I didn't know why I was playing it anymore. It wasn't until halfway through my junior year that I started to shift my mindset and it started slowly. It started with me realizing that I didn't hate basketball as a sport, I just didn't love college ball.

To be completely honest last year I talked to my coach about my struggles, and she allowed me to take a full week off from practice to get away from basketball. With that being said, the best way to keep your love for the game is to surround yourself with good people, great coaches, and remember the reason you started playing in the first place. I say this because that's what worked for me.

MOST IMPORTANTLY, your experience is not all about the facilities and the gear you get. It is about the people that surround you. The people will have a far greater effect on you than the materialistic things we are often bribed with as athletes. Never lose sight of this

Expert Advice From Jannah Tucker

“I think my parents and I did a fairly good job with recruiting and making sure I stayed grounded in my decision making. However, the biggest thing I wish I did differently was research the schools more academically, demographically, and what support they had to offer me for life after basketball." - Jannah Tucker Former Tennessee and Villanova Women's Basketball Player.

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Some tips when recruiting:

1. Be your authentic self (I [Jannah] felt like I acted differently at different schools based on the “hype” of that school).

2. Make sure to ask how they see you blending in and helping their program.

3. Express your goals & ask what their goals (team, individual, season, etc) are.

 4. Don’t get caught up in the glits and glam. Really think about life outside of your sport and if you would enjoy the school itself.

Some things I wish I knew:

1. Not everyone cares about what’s in your best interest.

2. It is all about the “sell” and the emphasis was always on the sport instead of the entire experience of college.

3. I wish I asked more questions (i.e asking the girls what they don’t like about the school/program)

4. Everyone is prepped on who you are before you come to campus; don't let that fool you.

Transition is word scramble for change… and change is HARD.

Trying to find your stride in a new place.

“Besides covid the hardest part was knowing everything I left when I transferred. I was really comfortable at Villanova but the main reason why I left was because I wanted more. It wasn’t that Nova was bad, so leaving made it that much harder.”

- Kelly Jekot of Penn State Women's Basketball

Sometimes you have to be your own best friend and biggest cheerleader

Any transition in life is hard because it goes hand and hand with change - which very few people embrace. Transitioning from high school to college is challenging for a number of obvious reasons like being away from home for the first time and having to take care of yourself. With that being said, I don't think those are the topics that create such difficulty for incoming freshmen. I believe the biggest, and most difficult parts of the transition are: 1. having to adjust to an intense structure or lack of structure, 2. not having someone you immediately trust, and 3. The pressure. 

If you are anything like me, someone who grew up in a small town with a tight-knit community, you can probably attest to these transition difficulties as well. I was blessed to grow up with a great group of role models and supportive people in my life. I was used to my own schedule and a set routine that I had built for myself. When I began my freshman year in college, I really struggled to adjust to the new environment. At home, everything was easy and comfortable. However, college is just the opposite of easy or comfortable - especially when you are playing a sport. So the first step to transition? Get comfortable with being uncomfortable.

I promise you will figure it out. Good, bad, or indifferent.

"Set yourself up for success by setting up a routine for yourself and reaching out to people."

It takes time to adjust to change.

The everyday challenges of surviving college have lasted my entire career. However, as time has passed, I have gotten better at adapting to the difficult situations that arise. 

You will often hear that one of the greatest struggles of being a student-athlete at the collegiate level is time management. As a student, you have the mental pressure of school work (and not just keeping up with it, but doing well at it). Then as an athlete, you have the physical pressure of practice and games. We are supposed to show up every day, ready to give 100 percent. We are told that basketball (or whatever your sport is) is supposed to be our safe place - a place where every other problem leaves when you enter the gym. But, playing sports in college comes with more responsibilities and pressures than it did when we were kids. It becomes a job, I even found my worth becoming more and more tied to basketball. There are more rules and regulations around the game. You aren't always surrounded by your best friends as teammates and your coaches may see you as a number before they see you as a person and that's just the honest truth

The reality is, it’s hard to balance everything. With all the pressure, time commitments, and mental exhaustion, having a thriving social life becomes a challenge. I have learned that it is all about setting my priorities straight and making sure they align with both my personal goals and my team’s goals. It's not only about what you are willing to do, but just as importantly, what you are willing not to do. It's up to you to balance the fun and success of your college athletic career, and the goal is, they go hand in hand.

Don’t Be Sold a Lie

Diving deeper into what you and your parents should know, and tips to help guide you.

“At the end of the day it's not the coolest gym or locker room that's there for you when you play shitty or fail a test or have a terrible practice. At the end of the day it's the people around you that are there for you.” -Anna DeWolfe of Fordham University Women's Basketball

Lying seems to be part of the game.

Picking a college is hard on its own. But trying to pick the right school for you when you are being sold empty promises and lies? That’s even harder. When I was going through the recruiting process the first time, I must have gone on only 5 out of my 30 visits when I realized coaches are really good at selling the things that I wanted to hear and see. Everything else seemed to be tucked away behind a curtain, only to come out when the recruit would leave. In other words, they sell you an experience just enough for you to commit and find out the realities the hard way. 

On these visits, I was being told all about the state-of-the-art facilities, and the gear we would get, the traveling we would take part in, and the iPads we would get to keep. As an immature teenager, I was enamored with these things. But I can tell you now, they were the wrong things to be mesmerized by. And maybe part of not knowing the answers to more important topics was because I wasn’t asking the right questions. With that being said, as much as these schools are looking for a player to fit into their program, you are also looking for a school that fits YOU. YOU get to decide what you want out of your college experience. Don't let them fool you. It should go both ways! 

So back to what you should be looking for:

When on a visit, pay particularly close attention to the lifestyle the players live and how the players interact with one another. Are they clapping for each other at practice? Are the players high-fiving one another? Are they motivating each other? Look to see if there is a genuine connection within the team. Similarly, examining the relationships between the players and coaches will tell you a great deal. Look to see if there is mutual respect. Probably one of the most important characteristics to look for within the program is, does the coach treat the players like just a number on a roster or as if they are a family member? That will tell you all you need to know!

The Uncharted Territory of College Recruiting

“I would say that it's [recruiting] a mix of building relationships and learning about yourself and your preferences to find a college that is right for you.” - Mackenzie Holmes of Indiana University Women's Basketball

Exploring the basics of the recruiting process: this is just the beginning. Let this process EMpower you!

Dream vs. Reality

Being recruited to play a college sport is a dream for many, but a reality for few. And, as exciting as it can be, it can be just as overwhelming. The recruiting process takes place between the ages of 13 to 18 years old. If you are lucky enough to begin the process early, many of these years are spent struggling to know who are and what you want - especially at such a young age. This is the main reason the recruiting process can be overwhelming and also why transfer rates are currently higher than ever before. Colleges are doing everything they can to get you to come to their school, therefore, they are only showing you the things you want to see: the shiny locker rooms, big gyms, and a multitude of gear. However, this can be very misleading.

With that being said, the best advice I can give to you is to know your goals, morals, and values, and hold them steadfast. When you are on a visit or talking to coaches on the phone, it is imperative that you share these things with conviction. It may seem uncomfortable discussing such topics especially with coaches who are recruiting you but if you want the best fit, it starts with communication. As much as the coaches want to know who they are recruiting, you and your parents should want to know who is potentially going to coach you.

 When getting into recruiting take your time and do not allow others to pressure you. At the end of the day, this choice is yours and it will be your life for the next four years (or more). If a coach is pressuring you to make a decision that should be a sign that maybe that school is not the place for you. If friends and family are pressuring you do not be afraid to set boundaries early. This is a time in your life where you have great potential to grow by learning to advocate for yourself. Lastly, you may change your mind multiple times and that is okay, just make sure to communicate honestly with those who are recruiting you. This will ensure that you do not waste your time or their time.

TIPS TO MAKE SURE ITS WHAT YOU WANT FOR THE NEXT FOUR YEARS (OR MORE)

Some teammates and I break down how to go about the recruiting process in an empowering way. Don't let this process drain you, let it EMpower you. 

"Keep an open mind, don’t believe everything you hear, and soak it ALL in! You’ll never be wanted that way again." - Allie Clement, Former Marist Women's Basketball Player

Tricks of the trade: When I was being recruited I spent the first two years just going through the motions of the recruiting process and constantly feeling overwhelmed. With that being said, the recruiting process is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. It helps you figure out who you are and allows you to meet many new people. Some fellow teammates of mine and I are here with tips to help you get the most out of this process.

1. "I think in order for recruits to pick the right school they need to consider if they would still want to go that school if they weren’t playing basketball." - Maren Durant

2. "If it doesn’t work out with a school that you thought was the one, don’t worry. Trust that it wasn’t the place for you, keep an open mind, and remember that you are another step closer to finding the school that will be your home and the team that will be your family." - Annabelle Larnard

3. "You take on the responsibility of not only representing the school on the court but also in life. Furthermore, you are expected to uphold the morals and standards in everything that you do." - Liz Shean

4. "I wish I knew that no one should be able to pressure me into making a decision." - Riley Childs

5. "I recommend always doing a pros and cons list after speaking with a coach or visiting a school. You can then ultimately figure out what you like and can find trends. For example, if you like big schools, small schools, up north, down south, east coast/west etc. Therefore you won’t be persuaded into liking just what the coaches are selling you." - Katie Nelson

These are all great tips to take into consideration. One of my tips to add would be to keep a journal throughout the whole process. When I did this, I used my journal to jot down some notes and key points of what the coach was saying. Doing this allowed me to keep track of how often they called me which helped me gauge their level of interest. Another thing it allowed me to do was to see if they were being consistent with what they were saying. If I noticed they weren't being consistent I noted it as a red flag. Lastly, put forth an effort to make a personal connection with all the people [players and coaches] you meet along the way because they are so much more than just their title of coach or player. It is also a great opportunity for networking.