Identity and motivation of adolescent student-athletes in school and elite sport: an investigation of the relationship within- and cross-domains
IntroductionPrevious studies have highlighted the effects of motivation and identity on dual careers (DC) separately.MethodsThe present study investigated the mutual relationship among 495 student-athletes (mean age = 17.0, males = 56.6%) in upper secondary school. The Student Identity Measurement S...
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Sports and Active Living |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fspor.2025.1625068/full |
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| author | Maike Niehues Lara Wille-Rex Jeffrey Sallen Jeffrey Sallen |
| author_facet | Maike Niehues Lara Wille-Rex Jeffrey Sallen Jeffrey Sallen |
| author_sort | Maike Niehues |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | IntroductionPrevious studies have highlighted the effects of motivation and identity on dual careers (DC) separately.MethodsThe present study investigated the mutual relationship among 495 student-athletes (mean age = 17.0, males = 56.6%) in upper secondary school. The Student Identity Measurement Scale (SIMS), Academic Identity Measurement Scale (AIMS), and Student-Athletes’ Academic and Athletic Motivation Scale (SAAMS) were used in a cross-sectional design.ResultsFindings revealed that student-athletes expressed higher identity than motivation within each domain. Athletic identification and motivation were stronger than those for academics. Correlation models revealed strong relations between identity and motivation within a domain, but not across domains. Gender differences emerged, with female student-athletes reporting higher academic identity and motivation compared to males.DiscussionThe study supports the notion that balancing both academia and sports is vital to prevent identity foreclosure and enhance a successful DC. Additionally, the need for individualised support and talent identification strategies for student-athletes is emphasised. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-63c643a3b12c41a6ac3492d3d08ca949 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2624-9367 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Sports and Active Living |
| spelling | doaj-art-63c643a3b12c41a6ac3492d3d08ca9492025-08-20T03:14:58ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Sports and Active Living2624-93672025-07-01710.3389/fspor.2025.16250681625068Identity and motivation of adolescent student-athletes in school and elite sport: an investigation of the relationship within- and cross-domainsMaike Niehues0Lara Wille-Rex1Jeffrey Sallen2Jeffrey Sallen3Institute of Human Movement Science, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, GermanyEducational Sciences, Faculty of Human Sciences, University of Potsdam, Potsdam, GermanyInstitute of Human Movement Science, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, GermanyFaculty of Sport Science, Leipzig University, Leipzig, GermanyIntroductionPrevious studies have highlighted the effects of motivation and identity on dual careers (DC) separately.MethodsThe present study investigated the mutual relationship among 495 student-athletes (mean age = 17.0, males = 56.6%) in upper secondary school. The Student Identity Measurement Scale (SIMS), Academic Identity Measurement Scale (AIMS), and Student-Athletes’ Academic and Athletic Motivation Scale (SAAMS) were used in a cross-sectional design.ResultsFindings revealed that student-athletes expressed higher identity than motivation within each domain. Athletic identification and motivation were stronger than those for academics. Correlation models revealed strong relations between identity and motivation within a domain, but not across domains. Gender differences emerged, with female student-athletes reporting higher academic identity and motivation compared to males.DiscussionThe study supports the notion that balancing both academia and sports is vital to prevent identity foreclosure and enhance a successful DC. Additionally, the need for individualised support and talent identification strategies for student-athletes is emphasised.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fspor.2025.1625068/fulldual careerrole identificationcompetitive sportlinear regressionsecondary school |
| spellingShingle | Maike Niehues Lara Wille-Rex Jeffrey Sallen Jeffrey Sallen Identity and motivation of adolescent student-athletes in school and elite sport: an investigation of the relationship within- and cross-domains Frontiers in Sports and Active Living dual career role identification competitive sport linear regression secondary school |
| title | Identity and motivation of adolescent student-athletes in school and elite sport: an investigation of the relationship within- and cross-domains |
| title_full | Identity and motivation of adolescent student-athletes in school and elite sport: an investigation of the relationship within- and cross-domains |
| title_fullStr | Identity and motivation of adolescent student-athletes in school and elite sport: an investigation of the relationship within- and cross-domains |
| title_full_unstemmed | Identity and motivation of adolescent student-athletes in school and elite sport: an investigation of the relationship within- and cross-domains |
| title_short | Identity and motivation of adolescent student-athletes in school and elite sport: an investigation of the relationship within- and cross-domains |
| title_sort | identity and motivation of adolescent student athletes in school and elite sport an investigation of the relationship within and cross domains |
| topic | dual career role identification competitive sport linear regression secondary school |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fspor.2025.1625068/full |
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