Examining Athletic Academic Advisors’ Experiences: A College Athlete Mental Health Approach
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17161/jis.v19i1.23833Keywords:
athlete well-being, support services, employee experiencesAbstract
Mental health is a critical and timely topic within college athletics. As such, athletic departments have created initiatives to enhance the experience of athletes. However, research indicates that college athletes often feel uncomfortable seeking mental health support and, in turn, look for alternative outlets. This study examines the role of Division I athletic academic advisors with college athlete mental health, seeking to understand how they use their role to enhance college athlete mental health and the training they receive to do so. Using Ecological Systems theory, we identify that college athlete academic advisors rely heavily on microsystem relationships to enhance the well-being of college athletes. As such, these individuals make decisions that directly impact their life, like working weekends, to ensure the success of college athletes. Additional findings indicate that college athlete academic advisors are often underprepared for their role, and lack support from their departments, further isolating them in their journey to enhance the well-being of college athletes. We suggest that athletic departments invest in the professional development of athletic academic advisors, including providing mental health training and partnering with on-campus resources to better support these professionals.
Keywords: mental health, college athletes, athletic academic advisor, advising
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