The relationship between college sports experiences and academic performance in student athletes
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5016/bjsphd.v1i2.19695Keywords:
University sports; Academic performance; Student-athletes; Sports experiencesAbstract
University sports, including events like the Brazilian University Games (JUBs), offer opportunities for personal and social development, but also require students to balance training and competitions with academic demands. Given this, the present study investigated the relationship between the experiences of university athletes and the academic performance of student-athletes. This cross-sectional, quantitative study involved 34 student-athletes from a higher education institution (HEI) who participated in the 2024 Pernambuco University Games. The instruments used were the Brazilian version of the University Sport Experiences Scale - Portuguese (USES-BR) and the semestral Academic Performance Coefficient (CRE). Data analysis was conducted using the Kolmogorov test and Pearson's correlation coefficient. The results showed that positive sports experiences, such as social skills, initiative, and interpersonal relationships, had higher scores compared to negative experiences (stress, social exclusion). Significant (p<0.05), positive, and weak (r<0.40) correlations were found between basic skills and interpersonal relationships from sports experiences and the semestral CRE (r=0.32 and r=0.27, respectively). It was also noted that the dimensions of positive sports experiences showed positive correlations among themselves (r between 0.28 and 0.51), while negative experiences also showed positive correlations among themselves (r between 0.21 and 0.39). Finally, it was observed that positive sports experiences showed negative correlations with the negative experiences (r between −0.32 and −0.52). It was concluded that certain sports experiences -especially those related to the development of basic skills and the quality of interpersonal relationships - are positively associated with academic performance.
References
AGORTEY, J. J. Sports stressors and academic performance of student-athletes in selected Colleges of Education in Ghana. Tese de Doutorado. School Of Education, Kenyatta University, 2024.
AMES, Carole. Classrooms: Goals, structures, and student motivation. Journal of Educational Psychology, v. 84, n. 3, p. 261, 1992.
BEAN, John P. et al. A psychological model of college student retention. Reworking the Student Departure Puzzle, v. 1, n. 48-61, p. 12, 2000.
BIDDLE, Stuart J. H. et al. Physical activity and mental health in children and adolescents: An updated review of reviews and an analysis of causality. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, v. 42, p. 146-155, 2019.
BRUNER, M. W. et al. Identity leadership and social identification within sport teams over a season: A social network analysis. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, v. 59, p. 102106, 2022.
CAMIRÉ, Martin; TRUDEL, Pierre; FORNERIS, Tanya. Coaching and transferring life skills: Philosophies and strategies used by model high school coaches. The Sport Psychologist, v. 26, n. 2, p. 243-260, 2012.
CEVADA, T. et al. Relação entre esporte, resiliência, qualidade de vida e ansiedade. Archives of Clinical Psychiatry (São Paulo), v. 39, p. 85-89, 2012.
CORRÊA, Mikael Almeida. Integração acadêmica e autoavaliações de universitários praticantes e não praticantes de esportes. Dissertação (Mestrado em Psicologia) – Universidade São Francisco, Campinas, 2019.
CORRÊA, M. A.; DIAS, A. C. G. Avaliações autorreferentes e práticas esportivas: Comparações entre universitários praticantes e não praticantes. Psicologia: Teoria e Prática, v. 22, n. 2, p. 429–443, 2020.
CRANMER, G. A.; GAGNON, R. J.; MAZER, J. P. Division-I student-athletes’ affective and cognitive responses to receiving confirmation from their head coach. Communication & Sport, v. 8, n. 2, p. 262–285, 2019. DOI: 10.1177/2167479518824868.
DAVIS, L.; JOWETT, S. Coach–athlete attachment and the quality of the coach–athlete relationship: Implications for athlete’s well-being. Journal of sports sciences, v. 32, n. 15, p. 1454-1464, 2014.
DE JESUS FERREIRA, Ivan et al. Influência do esporte no rendimento acadêmico de universitários: uma revisão crítica. BIUS - Boletim Informativo Unimotrisaúde em Sociogerontologia, v. 50, n. 44, p. 1-8, 2024.
DUDA, J. L.; APPLETON, P. R. Empowering and disempowering coaching climates: Conceptualization, measurement considerations, and intervention implications. In: Sport and exercise psychology research. Academic Press, 2016. p. 373-388.
EATHER, N. et al. The impact of sports participation on mental health and social outcomes in adults: a systematic review and the ‘Mental Health through Sport’conceptual model. Systematic reviews, v. 12, n. 1, p. 102, 2023.
EIME, R. M. et al. A systematic review of the psychological and social benefits of participation in sport for children and adolescents: informing development of a conceptual model of health through sport. International journal of behavioral nutrition and physical activity, v. 10, n. 1, p. 98, 2013.
FREDRICKS, J. A.; BLUMENFELD, P. C.; PARIS, A. H. School engagement: Potential of the concept, state of the evidence. Review of educational research, v. 74, n. 1, p. 59-109, 2004.
GOULD, Daniel; CARSON, Sarah. Life skills development through sport: Current status and future directions. International Review of Sport and Exercise Psychology, v. 1, n. 1, p. 58-78, 2008.
HOLT, N. L.; DEAL, C. J.; SMYTH, C. L. Orientações futuras para desenvolvimento positivo dos jovens através do desporto. In: HOLT, N. L. (Ed.). Desenvolvimento positivo dos jovens através do desporto. 2. ed. Londres: Routledge, 2016. p. 229-240.
KEGELAERS, Jolan et al. The mental health of student-athletes: A systematic scoping review. International Review of Sport and Exercise Psychology, v. 17, n. 2, p. 848-881, 2024.
LAUREYS, F. et al. Teamwork makes the dream work: Testing for shared perceptions on psycho-behavioural skills between athletes, coaches and parents. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, v. 68, p. 102473, 2023.
MARTINS, F. B.; ROCHA, H. P. A. da; COSTA, F. R. da. Uma revisão narrativa sobre o estudante-atleta no ensino superior. Revista Internacional de Educação Superior, v. 6, p. 1-25, 17 jan. 2020.
MATSUDO, S. M.; MATSUDO, V. K. R.; BARROS NETO, T. L. Efeitos benéficos da atividade física na aptidão física e saúde mental durante o processo de envelhecimento. Revista Brasileira de Atividade Física & Saúde, v. 5, n. 2, p. 61-73, 2000.
MELO, Sandro Victor Alves et al. Habilidades para vida e as necessidades psicológicas básicas de atletas universitários. Saúde e Pesquisa, v. 15, n. 4, p. 1-15, 2022.
MORELAND, J. J.; COXE, K. A.; YANG, J. Collegiate athletes' mental health services utilization: A systematic review of conceptualizations, operationalizations, facilitators, and barriers. Journal of sport and health science, v. 7, n. 1, p. 58-69, 2018.
OJA, P. et al. Health benefits of different sport disciplines for adults: systematic review of observational and intervention studies with meta-analysis. British journal of sports medicine, v. 49, n. 7, p. 434-440, 2015.
PROGRAMA DAS NAÇÕES UNIDAS PARA O DESENVOLVIMENTO – PNUD. Relatório Nacional de Desenvolvimento Humano 2017 – Movimento é vida: Atividades físicas e esportivas para todas as pessoas. Disponível em: www.movimentoevida.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/PNUD_RNDH_completo.pdf. Acesso em: [colocar data de acesso].
RATHWELL, S. et al. Psychometric properties of the of the University Sport Experiences Scale—Portuguese. Motricidade, v. 17, n. 3, p. 242-254, 2021.
LUIZ, Francisco; NETTO, D. E. Marchi. Universidade Estadual de Campinas. [S. l.], 2007.
RYAN, R. M.; DECI, E. L. Self-determination theory: Basic psychological needs in motivation, development, and wellness. New York: Guilford Publications, 2017.
TEUBER, Monika; LEYHR, Daniel; SUDECK, Gorden. Physical activity improves stress load, recovery, and academic performance-related parameters among university students: a longitudinal study on daily level. BMC Public Health, v. 24, n. 1, p. 598, 2024.
ZHOU, Shukai et al. A study on the relationship between college sports and academic achievement. Frontiers in Sport Research, v. 6, n. 3, 2024.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 BRAZILIAN JOURNAL OF SPORT PSYCHOLOGY AND HUMAN DEVELOPMENT
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
