Self-perception is the level of competency at which individuals evaluate themselves in certain areas or domains (Marsh & Shavelson, 1985). An individual’s self-perceptions contribute to their global self-worth, and even predict performance (Cuellar, 2014; Harter & Neemann, 2012). Self-perception is an increasingly popular area of study, and there is a gap in the research as it pertains to college student-athletes (Harter & Neemann, 2012). This study measures self- perception scores, as well as experiences with racial discrimination, of 306 NCAA Division I student-athletes using the Self-Perception Profile for College Students (Harter & Neemann, 2012). Scores are compared across race/ethnicity and gender. Findings suggest that White student-athletes have significantly higher self-perception scores than racial minorities, and recent discrimination (discrimination experiences within the last year) is a significant predictor of multiple areas of self-perception. Results also indicate significant gender differences exist in several areas of self-perception. The implications of this study prompt faculty, and other campus stakeholders to pursue positive relationships with the student-athletes they encounter. Positive relationships between student-athletes and faculty can help raise student-athlete self-perceptions, and in turn, performance in a variety of areas.
","abstract_html":"<p>Self-perception is the level of competency at which individuals evaluate themselves in certain areas or domains (Marsh & Shavelson, 1985). An individual’s self-perceptions contribute to their global self-worth, and even predict performance (Cuellar, 2014; Harter & Neemann, 2012). Self-perception is an increasingly popular area of study, and there is a gap in the research as it pertains to college student-athletes (Harter & Neemann, 2012). This study measures self- perception scores, as well as experiences with racial discrimination, of 306 NCAA Division I student-athletes using the Self-Perception Profile for College Students (Harter & Neemann, 2012). Scores are compared across race/ethnicity and gender. Findings suggest that White student-athletes have significantly higher self-perception scores than racial minorities, and recent discrimination (discrimination experiences within the last year) is a significant predictor of multiple areas of self-perception. Results also indicate significant gender differences exist in several areas of self-perception. The implications of this study prompt faculty, and other campus stakeholders to pursue positive relationships with the student-athletes they encounter. Positive relationships between student-athletes and faculty can help raise student-athlete self-perceptions, and in turn, performance in a variety of areas. </p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Strehlow, Sean"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Master of Education in Recreation and Sport Management (MEd)","degree_level":"Thesis","degree_discipline":null,"degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Dittmore, Stephen W.","Blunt-Vinti, Heather"],"advisors":["Stokowski, Sarah E."],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2018,"date_issued":"2018-05-01T07:00:00Z","date_published":"2018-05-01T07:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T00:59:32Z","subjects":["College Athletics","College Sports","College Student-Athletes","Discrimination","NCAA","Self-Perception","Sports Management","Sports Studies"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://scholarworks.uark.edu/etd/2630","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Dittmore, Stephen W.","Blunt-Vinti, Heather"]},{"key":"dc:contributor.advisor","label":"Advisor","values":["Stokowski, Sarah E."]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Strehlow, Sean"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date","label":"Dc Date","values":["2018"]},{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2024-02-06T08:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Education in Recreation and Sport Management (MEd)"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["College Athletics","College Sports","College Student-Athletes","Discrimination","NCAA","Self-Perception","Sports Management","Sports Studies"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://scholarworks.uark.edu/etd/2630"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Self-perception is the level of competency at which individuals evaluate themselves in certain areas or domains (Marsh & Shavelson, 1985). An individual’s self-perceptions contribute to their global self-worth, and even predict performance (Cuellar, 2014; Harter & Neemann, 2012). Self-perception is an increasingly popular area of study, and there is a gap in the research as it pertains to college student-athletes (Harter & Neemann, 2012). This study measures self- perception scores, as well as experiences with racial discrimination, of 306 NCAA Division I student-athletes using the Self-Perception Profile for College Students (Harter & Neemann, 2012). Scores are compared across race/ethnicity and gender. Findings suggest that White student-athletes have significantly higher self-perception scores than racial minorities, and recent discrimination (discrimination experiences within the last year) is a significant predictor of multiple areas of self-perception. Results also indicate significant gender differences exist in several areas of self-perception. The implications of this study prompt faculty, and other campus stakeholders to pursue positive relationships with the student-athletes they encounter. Positive relationships between student-athletes and faculty can help raise student-athlete self-perceptions, and in turn, performance in a variety of areas.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Self-Perception of NCAA Division I Student-Athletes"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Dittmore, Stephen W.","Blunt-Vinti, Heather"],"dc:contributor.advisor":["Stokowski, Sarah E."],"dc:creator":["Strehlow, Sean"],"dc:date":["2018"],"dc:date.available":["2024-02-06T08:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["Self-perception is the level of competency at which individuals evaluate themselves in certain areas or domains (Marsh & Shavelson, 1985). An individual’s self-perceptions contribute to their global self-worth, and even predict performance (Cuellar, 2014; Harter & Neemann, 2012). Self-perception is an increasingly popular area of study, and there is a gap in the research as it pertains to college student-athletes (Harter & Neemann, 2012). This study measures self- perception scores, as well as experiences with racial discrimination, of 306 NCAA Division I student-athletes using the Self-Perception Profile for College Students (Harter & Neemann, 2012). Scores are compared across race/ethnicity and gender. Findings suggest that White student-athletes have significantly higher self-perception scores than racial minorities, and recent discrimination (discrimination experiences within the last year) is a significant predictor of multiple areas of self-perception. Results also indicate significant gender differences exist in several areas of self-perception. The implications of this study prompt faculty, and other campus stakeholders to pursue positive relationships with the student-athletes they encounter. Positive relationships between student-athletes and faculty can help raise student-athlete self-perceptions, and in turn, performance in a variety of areas.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://scholarworks.uark.edu/etd/2630"],"dc:subject":["College Athletics","College Sports","College Student-Athletes","Discrimination","NCAA","Self-Perception","Sports Management","Sports Studies"],"dc:title":["Self-Perception of NCAA Division I Student-Athletes"],"thesis:degree_level":["Thesis"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Education in Recreation and Sport Management (MEd)"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T00:59:32Z"}