Optimism levels among collegiate athletes and non‐athletes

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between athletic participation and optimism levels. One hundred and eighty‐seven first‐year and final‐year athletes and non‐athletes from a large, comprehensive university completed a demographic questionnaire along with the Life Orientation Test (LOT‐R) (Scheier, Carver, & Bridges, 1994). Results indicated that final‐year athletes scored significantly higher levels of optimism than first‐year athletes, F(1,83) = 10.425, p = .0018, and final‐year non‐athletes, F(1,99) = 6.904, p = .0100. No significant difference was found between both first‐year athletes and non‐athletes and between first‐year and final‐year non‐athletes. These results provide support that a possible relationship does exist between athletic participation, year, and optimism levels. The reasons provided for these significant differences may be due to increases in self‐efficacy and mastery challenges provided by athletic participation

Keywords:

• Athlete optimism