Category
Theoretical Proposal
Description
This study aims to examine the effects of social media platforms, Instagram and TikTok, on the mental health of adolescent athletes who are in subjective sports. Many athletes look at other athletes' performances on social media or scroll on Instagram or TikTok without realizing the harm that it can cause to their mental health and individual performance. When referring to mental health, athletes are specifically being asked about anxiety and depression, and if they notice an increase in these mental health symptoms or struggle with comparison after looking at these platforms. The research question is: How does comparison negatively impact the mental health of adolescent athletes when scrolling through Instagram? The study will gather information from these athletes by conducting focus groups. The sampling strategy has four female and four male athletes represented from gymnastics, figure skating, diving, and competitive cheer. A qualitative focus group will be conducted using nonprobability sampling. After the focus groups, interviews will be held with the athletes to hear about their personal experiences in a 1-1 setting and to dive deeper. This study will be beneficial because some athletes may be afraid to share in large groups, so creating a comfortable space for them to share their experiences is ideal. A possible application would be for coaches to use the feedback from this study to contribute to their athletic programs and support athletes facing mental health struggles and self-esteem issues.
Instagram, TikTok, and Athlete Identity: Exploring Social Comparison in Subjectively Judged Youth Sports
Theoretical Proposal
This study aims to examine the effects of social media platforms, Instagram and TikTok, on the mental health of adolescent athletes who are in subjective sports. Many athletes look at other athletes' performances on social media or scroll on Instagram or TikTok without realizing the harm that it can cause to their mental health and individual performance. When referring to mental health, athletes are specifically being asked about anxiety and depression, and if they notice an increase in these mental health symptoms or struggle with comparison after looking at these platforms. The research question is: How does comparison negatively impact the mental health of adolescent athletes when scrolling through Instagram? The study will gather information from these athletes by conducting focus groups. The sampling strategy has four female and four male athletes represented from gymnastics, figure skating, diving, and competitive cheer. A qualitative focus group will be conducted using nonprobability sampling. After the focus groups, interviews will be held with the athletes to hear about their personal experiences in a 1-1 setting and to dive deeper. This study will be beneficial because some athletes may be afraid to share in large groups, so creating a comfortable space for them to share their experiences is ideal. A possible application would be for coaches to use the feedback from this study to contribute to their athletic programs and support athletes facing mental health struggles and self-esteem issues.
