Education, Faculty of
Kinesiology, School of
DSpace
University of British Columbia. Campus and Community Planning
Butler, Miranda
Gill, Jenna
Sever, Shae
Gauthier, Lindsay
Gasser, Anika
This study examined thriving in relation to three categories: mental thriving, performance thriving and academic thriving of varsity athletes that attend the University of British Columbia (UBC). This study utilized the Qualtrics survey platform to collect responses from varsity athletes who were currently in their sports’ respective competitive seasons. The sports included under this criteria were men’s rowing, hockey, rugby, swimming, basketball, track and field, and women’s rugby 15s and 7s athletes, basketball, track and field, hockey, rowing, and softball. Participants answered questions related to the three defined categories of thriving in relation to different periods of the competitive season. Additionally, participants were presented with lists of different resources already provided by UBC Athletics and asked which, if any, resources they used, and if they experienced any barriers while accessing the resources. This data was then thematically analyzed and the Likert type scale data was quantified into means and standard deviations. Findings suggested that the majority of respondents had minimal engagement with academic support and experienced minimal barriers when accessing the resources. However, respondents did suggest that there was minimal promotion or incentive to engage with different academic resources. Next, when reflecting upon performance thriving, participants seemed to be significantly more engaged with performance support. This included appointments with doctors, athletic therapists (ATs), massage therapists and strength and conditioning (S&C) coaches. Participants suggested that barriers were faced when trying to access the aforementioned opportunities. Similarly, respondents also seemed to suggest barrieres were more common when trying to access mental health performance skills. Based on our findings, we have four suggestions for UBC Athletics to help promote varsity athletes’ thriving throughout the duration of a competitive season. Firstly, we have recommended that UBC Athletics further develop the T-Bird app to form a centralized base where student athletes can find information on a variety of mental, physical and academic resources. This centralization may be helpful to streamline information and for accessing resources. Next, we suggest that a calendar feature be added to this app, which could be utilized by individual teams to inform athletes of group study sessions, important academic dates and deadlines. The utilization of a calendar may encourage time management strategies, as well as, increase awareness surrounding academic resources. Thirdly, we recommend that they update reviews of the effectiveness and accessibility of the booking process for physical therapy, athletic therapy and doctor triage. Lastly, we recommend that UBC Athletics performs a longitudinal study on athletes thriving to better understand how thriving changes throughout a competitive season. Disclaimer: “UBC SEEDS provides students with the opportunity to share the findings of their studies, as well as their opinions, conclusions and recommendations with the UBC community. The reader should bear in mind that this is a student project/report and is not an official document of UBC. Furthermore readers should bear in mind that these reports may not reflect the current status of activities at UBC. We urge you to contact the research persons mentioned in a report or the SEEDS Coordinator about the current status of the subject matter of a project/report.”
UBC Social Ecological Economic Development Studies (SEEDS) Sustainability ProgramStudent Research ReportThriving or Surviving - A Look at UBC Student-Athlete Thriving (Group 17)Prepared by: Miranda Butler, Jenna Gill, Shae Sever, Lindsay Gauthier and Anika GasserPartner Organization: UBC AthleticsKin 464: Health Promotion and Physical ActivityInstructor: Dr. Andrea Bundon (andrea.bundon@ubc.ca)Date: April 12th, 20242DisclaimerUBC SEEDS Sustainability Program provides students with the opportunity to share thefindings of their studies, as well as their opinions, conclusions and recommendations with theUBC community. The reader should bear in mind that this is a student research project and is notan official document of UBC. Furthermore, readers should bear in mind that these reports maynot reflect the current status of activities at UBC. We urge you to contact the research personsmentioned in a report or the SEEDS Sustainability Program representative about the currentstatus of the subject matter of a report.3Executive SummaryThis study examined thriving in relation to three categories: mental thriving, performancethriving and academic thriving of varsity athletes that attend the University of British Columbia(UBC).This study utilized the Qualtrics survey platform to collect responses from varsity athleteswho were currently in their sports’ respective competitive seasons. The sports included underthis criteria were men’s rowing, hockey, rugby, swimming, basketball, track and field, andwomen’s rugby 15s and 7s athletes, basketball, track and field, hockey, rowing, and softball.Participants answered questions related to the three defined categories of thriving inrelation to different periods of the competitive season. Additionally, participants were presentedwith lists of different resources already provided by UBC Athletics and asked which, if any,resources they used, and if they experienced any barriers while accessing the resources. This datawas then thematically analyzed and the Likert type scale data was quantified into means andstandard deviations.Findings suggested that the majority of respondents had minimal engagement withacademic support and experienced minimal barriers when accessing the resources. However,respondents did suggest that there was minimal promotion or incentive to engage with differentacademic resources. Next, when reflecting upon performance thriving, participants seemed to besignificantly more engaged with performance support. This included appointments with doctors,athletic therapists (ATs), massage therapists and strength and conditioning (S&C) coaches.Participants suggested that barriers were faced when trying to access the aforementionedopportunities. Similarly, respondents also seemed to suggest barrieres were more common whentrying to access mental health performance skills.Based on our findings, we have four suggestions for UBC Athletics to help promotevarsity athletes’ thriving throughout the duration of a competitive season. Firstly, we haverecommended that UBC Athletics further develop the T-Bird app to form a centralized basewhere student athletes can find information on a variety of mental, physical and academicresources. This centralization may be helpful to streamline information and for accessingresources. Next, we suggest that a calendar feature be added to this app, which could be utilizedby individual teams to inform athletes of group study sessions, important academic dates anddeadlines. The utilization of a calendar may encourage time management strategies, as well as,increase awareness surrounding academic resources. Thirdly, we recommend that they updatereviews of the effectiveness and accessibility of the booking process for physical therapy, athletictherapy and doctor triage. Lastly, we recommend that UBC Athletics performs a longitudinalstudy on athletes thriving to better understand how thriving changes throughout a competitiveseason.4Table of ContentsIntroduction and Literature Review 5Introduction 5Literature Review 6Synthesizing the Literature 9Purpose 10Methods 11Research Design 11Target Population 11Inclusion and Exclusion Criteria 12Recruitment Plan 13Data Collection and Survey Questions 13Data Analysis 14Results 16Sample Description 16Analysis of Resource Access and Likert Questions 16Academic Thriving 17Physical Health and Wellness 18Mental Health 19General Vitality 20Thematic Analysis 22Discussion 23Academics 23Performance Thriving 25Mental Health 26Limitations 28Areas for Further Research 29Recommendations 29Immediate Actions 29T-Bird App 29Integration of Rate of Perceived Exertion and Thriving Check-in 31Pilot Walk-in Athletic Therapy Sessions 31Long-Term Recommendations 32Longitudinal Research and Development on Athlete Thriving 32Conclusion 32References 34Appendix 365Introduction and Literature ReviewIntroductionFrom balancing classes to volunteering, socializing, and work-experience opportunities,the day-to-day life of a university student can be busy. Varsity athletes have to balance theaforementioned opportunities on top of an intensive training and travel schedule (Gayles, 2009).While some individuals may thrive under these conditions, others may experience greaterfluctuations with regard to their mental, physical and academic thriving. This study on"Student-Athlete Thriving" is designed to investigate the variation in varsity athletes’ thrivingthrough the competitive season.Notably, minimal research exists on the topic of potential fluctuating student-athletethriving over a competitive season (Gayles, 2009). As highlighted by the University of BritishColumbia (UBC) Athletics in their project description, there is a significant deficit in studiesexamining fluctuations in athlete thriving throughout a competitive season. Schreiner et al.(2010) defined student thriving in relation to three categories: academic thriving, intrapersonalthriving and interpersonal thriving. Schreiner et al. (2010) suggests that a thriving student is onethat is academically successful, and also engages with the learning process and contributes to thecommunity. Similarly, Porath et al. (2012) examined the concept of learning in relation to aworkplace, defining it as a continuous process of improvement. For this study, learning as aconcept will be expanded and operationally defined as: a continuous process of improvement inall aspects of life, whether it be athletically, physically, academically, interpersonally,emotionally, spiritually, or any dimension in which concentrated effort to improve can provideenrichment to one’s life. In addition to academic, intrapersonal, and mental thriving, this study6will add a third dimension: athletic performance. This category will be defined as performancethriving.Although there is no concrete definition of vitality in the literature, it may be defined asexperiencing a combination of physical and cognitive energy (Ryan & Frederick, 1997). Porathet al. defined vitality as “a sense of feeling energized and alive [...].”, highlighting the criticalcognitive component of the disposition (p. 250, 2012). Vitality has been connected to a myriad ofphysiological and psychological health benefits, and thus, will be considered as a major indicatorof athlete well-being throughout the competitive season (Lavrusheva, 2020). This study willadopt burnout as the antagonist to thriving. Burnout has been defined by Maslach & Leiter(2016) into three categories; (1) Exhaustion; feeling a depletion of physical and cognitive energyrelated to overworking; (2) Cynicism; a growing hostility or sense of disillusionment with theactivity causing the stress, considered to be a protective emotional response to the overload; and(3) Professional inefficacy; a declining sense of adequacy or confidence to perform well in theactivity, which may lead to diminished performance.Literature ReviewUnder the umbrella term of thriving, Porath et al. (2012) consider two factors whenlooking at an individual's experience of well-being: vitality and learning. Learning and vitalitycan be examined specifically by evaluating outcomes such as general health, individualperformance, and burnout (Porath et al., 2012).Previous research conducted by Amorose et al. (2009) aimed to foresee changes in thewell-being of athletes based upon changes in their need satisfaction. This includes theirperception of sport competence, amount of agency they have when playing their sport, and theirrelationships with other people on the team. They assessed 93 adolescent female volleyball7players from ages 13-18, and collected data based upon their need satisfaction. The othercategory they studied was well-being, which covered self-esteem and burnout. Findings showedthat need satisfaction changed over a competitive season, and that it was related to athletes’well-being. The three needs had a positive relationship with self-esteem during their pre-season,and then a negative relationship with burnout during their post-season. Amorose et al. (2009)suggested that greater focus should be given to involve athletes in decision-making, andappropriate feedback should be given to bolster feelings of competence.Investigations conducted by Noon et al. (2015) looked at elite English youth soccerplayers (U17- U21) throughout their season to examine their well-being and athleticperformance. A questionnaire evaluating motivation, sleep, recovery quality, appetite, fatigue,level of stress, and muscle soreness, was used to assess well-being. This approach is similar tothe wholistic approach of Amorose et al. (2009), as they looked at multiple factors that impactathlete well-being. Noon et al (2015) tested athletic performance at the beginning of pre-season,the end of pre-season, the end of in-season 1, and the end of in-season 2. The tests performedwere a 30m sprint, jump height, agility test, and yo-yo intermittent recovery test. The mainfinding from this study was that perceptions of well-being clearly decreased as the seasonprogressed. The athletes also had slower sprint times by the end of the in-season. It was deemedthat well-being was being negatively impacted by factors such as training, competition load,external pressures, and the athletes’ personal relationships with people in their life.Similarly, Watson et al. (2016) studied 75 female soccer athletes from age 14-17, to see iftheir subjective well-being and training load could predict in-season injury and their risk forillness. This study is similar to both Noon et al. and Amorose et al., as each study examines girlsranging in age from 13-18 years old. Athletes in the study by Watson et al. reported daily8evaluations throughout their 20-week season on their mood, fatigue, soreness, stress, and sleepquality. The intensity and duration of each session, as well as illness and injury, were reportedtoo. It was found that increased injuries were associated with higher daily training loads. Therewere a total of 36 injuries throughout the season, and each one had a significantly negativeimpact on the athlete’s mood, and therefore, their well-being. Moreover, well-being had animmediate and negative impact from an acute training load, and an increased risk of illness wascorrelated with a high chronic training load (Watson et al., 2016).Comparably, Biggins et al. (2020) examined sleep, health, and overall well-being before,during, and after an international competition for elite athletes. Biggins et al. (2020) studied 65male and female athletes from swimming, soccer, and track and field, in a longitudinal cohortstudy. During the competition, over half of the swimmers had moderate to severe sleep problems,compared to 45% of individuals before competition, and less than 10% after. These resultsdiffered from the other teams, where track and field was less than 10%, men’s soccer at 10%, andwomen’s soccer at less than 30% during the international competition. As well, during thecompetition, 82% of athletes reported less than eight hours of sleep each night, despite therecommended amount being 8-10 hours (Biggins et al., 2020). Sleep is vital for well-being andathletic performance, and without adequate sleep, these athletes were also at a higher risk ofinfection and altered mood (Biggins et al., 2020).While existing research has advanced our understanding of athlete well-being acrossphysical, psychological, and social dimensions, a comprehensive analysis of how athlete thrivingevolves over a competitive season is lacking. Previous studies highlight important factors such asneed satisfaction, sleep health, and the impact of injuries, yet they often focus on isolated aspectsof well-being. Moreover, the majority of the mentioned studies have a younger demographic.9This makes the respective findings challenging to apply to university students, who may have tobalance the challenges of adjusting to adulthood, while competing in their sport. This leaves agap in our understanding of the ongoing development of wholistic thriving throughout theseason.Synthesizing the LiteratureThe collective body of research provides a comprehensive view of well-being in athleticcontexts. Noon et al. (2015) extend this understanding by demonstrating a seasonal decline inwell-being and its direct, negative impact on athletic performance, reinforcing the criticalinterconnection between an athlete's mental and physical health and their performance.Alongside, Amorose et al. (2013) emphasize the importance of satisfying athletes' psychologicalneeds for fostering well-being and sustaining high performance, while Watson et al. (2016)reveal the detrimental effects of excessive training loads on athletes' mental health, hinting at theneed for well-balanced training schedules. Biggins et al. (2020) highlight the role of sleep inphysical recovery, proposing that adequate rest is as crucial to athletes' thriving as their training.Together, these studies suggest a wholistic approach to athlete well-being, intertwiningpsychological support, physical training moderation, and prioritized recovery, to cultivate anenvironment where athletes can truly flourish.In synthesizing these findings, our project identifies a pivotal intersection. While eachstudy contributes unique perspectives on well-being, they collectively underscore the essence ofthriving as an encompassing state that transcends mere physical wellness to include academicsuccess, mental resilience, and performance excellence. This wholistic view of thriving — rootedin, but distinct from well-being — illuminates the gaps in the literature. Particularly, acomprehensive exploration of how thriving evolves, and is sustained throughout the competitive10season among UBC varsity athletes is needed. Our project seeks to bridge these gaps byexamining thriving in a more integrated manner, specifically how the interplay of thesewell-being components influences athletes' ability to flourish in all aspects of their lives. Thissets the stage for targeted interventions and support strategies that address the unique needs ofthis population.PurposeThe primary objective of this research is to explore the dynamic patterns of athletethriving across different phases of the competitive season. By employing the Porath et al. (2012)survey, this study aims to answer the following research questions: (1) How do learning andvitality levels vary among varsity athletes at distinct points in their season—namely, those intheir pre-season, and in the midst of their competitive season? (2) What is the effect of thrivingdimensions on varsity athletes' performance, well-being, and academic engagement? (3) In whatways do the support systems and resources provided to varsity athletes throughout their seasoninfluence their levels of thriving?Our research aims to fill the existing knowledge gap by providing empirical data on thetemporal changes in athlete thriving. Secondly, the findings from this research are expected toinform the development of more effective support strategies and interventions by UBC Athletics.These strategies can be tailored to meet the needs of varsity athletes at specific times in thecompetitive season, thereby enhancing their overall thriving, performance, and well-being. Indoing so, this study will not only advance academic understanding of athlete thriving, but alsooffer practical implications for athletic programming and support services at UBC.The overarching goal of this study is to understand if, and how, the thriving of athletesfluctuates over these periods. This exploration focuses on dimensions of learning and vitality11across the various stages of an athlete’s season, including pre-season preparation and thecompetitive season. An additional aim of this study includes making recommendations to theUBC Athletics department on how to increase student-athlete thriving.MethodsResearch DesignThis study employed a mixed-methods study approach to explore the concept of thrivingfor UBC varsity athletes. Our research design drew inspiration from Porath et al. (2012), whometiculously developed a framework for understanding thriving at work.To ensure the integrity and confidentiality of the collected data, our study employed theQualtrics survey platform, a survey tool that adheres to Canada's privacy standards. Thisconsideration is crucial for maintaining participants' trust and upholding the ethical standards ofresearch and informed consent. This approach enhances the credibility of our findings andensures that our study contributes to the body of knowledge on athletes thriving, while respectingthe rights and privacy of our participants.Target PopulationOur study targeted UBC varsity athletes whose competitive or preparation phases are inTerm 2 of the Winter 2023/24 school year. The rationale for targeting athletes in this phase of theseason was to reduce recall bias as we collected data between March 19th, 2024 and March 27th,2024. Additionally, in lieu of collecting data from different athletes at discrete points in theircompetitive seasons, collecting data from in-season athletes about their past and presentexperiences may serve to optimize observations of the individual nature of thriving and reduce12variability between subjects. Therefore, athletes with competitive or preparation phases in Term2 or both Terms seemed to be the best match for data collection. We gathered responses fromparticipants regardless of age, gender identity and race. Respondents were required to be rosteredand able to compete in their sports’ respective competitive seasons.Inclusion and Exclusion CriteriaThis study's inclusion and exclusion criteria are carefully delineated to ensure precisionand relevance in our findings. Inclusion criteria encompassed all UBC varsity athletes who are atfull training capacity and actively participating in their competitive seasons during Term 2 of theWinter 2023/24 session, or during both Term 1 and Term 2. This included athletes competing insoftball, baseball, basketball, rugby, hockey, volleyball, golf, swimming, rowing, and track andfield. Athletes competing in field hockey, soccer, cross country and football were excluded. Thefocus on in-season athletes is deliberate, aiming to capture the essence of thriving under thepressures and demands of competitive play. This approach allowed for a nuanced exploration ofhow varsity athletes navigate their sporting commitments, academic pursuits, and personalwell-being, providing insights into the complex dynamics of athlete thriving. Our study includedboth undergraduate and postgraduate students, under both USPORTS, National Association ofIntercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and Cascade Collegiate Conference (CCC) regulations. Thisinclusivity ensures a broad examination of thriving across various stages of academic andathletic careers, enriching our understanding of the athletes' experiences throughout all years ofeligibility and academic standing.This study excluded athletes on injury reserve or redshirting (that is, athletes who are atfull training capacity but were not competing in the Winter 2023/24 Term 2 season or in both theTerm 1 and Term 2 seasons) to focus our research on those fully engaged in the competitive and13training environments. Moreover, athletes who had sustained injuries that prevented them fromcompeting in their entire competitive season were excluded. By omitting these groups, alongwith athletes from intramural, recreational sports, and sports clubs, the study maintained a focuson the high-performance varsity athlete population to ensure the integrity and applicability ofpotential results and findings.Recruitment PlanThis study utilized multiple methods to recruit participants. Firstly, posters weredistributed in key athletic facilities including varsity weight rooms, locker rooms, and popularfitness centers like the Activities and Recreation Centre (ARC) and BirdCoop Fitness Centre.These locations are vital congregating spots for our target demographic, increasing the visibilityand accessibility of our survey. Moreover, posters and survey links were distributed onlinethrough a few channels. Platforms including Slack were used to inform teams of the survey.Additionally, this study was distributed on the Canvas Thunderbird Student Athlete Portal.Recruitment TargetWe aimed to secure at least 80 survey responses by March 27, 2024, setting a minimumthreshold at 40 participants to ensure the research's robustness and validity. This sample size isdeemed sufficient to yield insightful and relevant findings, given the specific context andengagement level of the target population. The survey closed on March 27th at 11:59 pm.Data Collection and Survey QuestionsOur survey was composed of 39 open-ended and multiple-choice questions, each tailoredto explore the dimensions of thriving as conceptualized by Porath et al. (2012). The front displayof our survey was an informed consent form. It contained important information including: the14project's identification number, the principal investigator, Dr. Andrea Bundon, the purpose of theproject, the study procedures, the project outcomes, the potential risks and benefits ofparticipating, contact information and how to contact the research ethics complaints board (SeeAppendix C: Consent Form).The survey assessed three categories of thriving: academic/learning thriving,performance/athletic thriving, and mental thriving. Within the survey, each category contained adefinition for the type of thriving, as well as the available, corresponding resources for UBCvarsity athletes. As a standard, in each section we asked participants to evaluate how difficult itis to access that category of resources and how often the participant has used them. Thesequestions were a multiple choice format. Next, we asked participants to indicate how much theyagreed with a series of statements using a 5-point Likert scale (1-Strongly Disagree; 2-Disagree;3-Neutral; 4-Agree; 5-Strongly Agree). The statements were reflective and examined thatspecific type of thriving at different points in the competitive season. For example, athletes wereasked to respond to three statements reflecting the three pillars of burnout identified by Maslach& Leiter for five timepoints throughout the competitive season (2016). The nature of thestatements vary slightly between timepoints to reflect the changing context of the season, such asathletes focusing on goal setting early in the season and reflecting on accomplishments later inthe season (See Appendix A: Survey). After completing all three sections, there were twoopen-ended written questions that allowed participants to elaborate and give suggestionsregarding student-athlete thriving.Data AnalysisFor the data analysis, we integrated both quantitative and qualitative methodologies toprovide a comprehensive understanding of athlete thriving. For the quantitative data, we15employed JASP software to determine the descriptive statistics including the means, standarddeviation, skewness, and kurtosis of each survey question’s distribution.Open-ended questions offer insights into athletes' lived experiences, adding depth andcontext to the statistical patterns observed. For this qualitative data, we identified patterns andtrends within the athlete population. To analyze qualitative data, thematic analysis wasemployed. To examine the concept of thriving, the words well-being, mental health,performance, energy, health, happiness, stress, anxiety, workload, and fatigue were coded. Toexamine the concept of access to and experience with resources, the words information,awareness, knowledge, obstacles, barriers, cost, availability, booking, scheduling, effectiveness,benefit, communication, access, and services were coded. These terms were coded and groupedinto major themes, allowing for the examination of overall well-being and quality of care(Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, 2021) to further contextualize athlete thriving.This integrative approach allows for cross-validation, where insights from qualitativeanalysis complement and corroborate quantitative findings, enhancing the study's overallreliability and validity (Creswell & Plano Clark, 2007 as cited in McKim, 2016). It facilitates awholistic view of the factors contributing to thriving, moving beyond mere prevalence, touncover the underlying dynamics and mechanisms. Such a comprehensive analysis is crucial fordeveloping targeted interventions aimed at supporting athlete well-being and performance,ultimately offering actionable insights for future support strategies at UBC.16ResultsSample Description42 total responses were included in the following analyses. 84 responses were initiallycollected, but 42 were excluded from analyses as participants did not meet the inclusion criteriaor did not complete the survey. Of the eligible respondents, 54.8% had their competitive seasonacross both Term 1 and Term 2, while 45.2% only competed in Term 2. 35.7% of respondentswere softball athletes, making up the largest portion of the sample. 14.3% of responses weredrawn from women’s rugby 15s athletes, 10% from women’s track and field athletes, and 11.9%from baseball athletes. The remaining responses making up a small fraction of the total samplewere fairly evenly distributed between men’s rowing, men’s rugby, men’s swimming, women’sbasketball, women’s hockey, women’s rowing, and women’s rugby 7s athletes. Responses werenot recorded from men’s hockey, men’s volleyball, women’s volleyball, women’s golf, men’sgolf, women’s swimming, men’s track and field, or men’s basketball athletes. 16.7% of athleteswere in their first year of eligibility, 33.3% in their second, 40.5% in their third, 7.1% in theirfourth, and 2.4% in their fifth (Appendix A, Table A1).Analysis of Resource Access and Likert QuestionsTables A2, A4, and A6 (Appendix A, Tables A2, A4, A6) provide the percent andnumber of athletes accessing resources and experiencing barriers in accessing resources. TablesA3, A5, and A7 (Appendix A, Table A3, A5, A7) provide descriptive statistics (mean, standarddeviation, skewness, kurtosis) for Likert questions used to examine academic thriving, physicalhealth and wellness, and general vitality of athletes throughout the competitive season.17Academic ThrivingAthletes were assessed on their experiences of thriving in the context of academics, inaddition to their use and perceptions of resources offered by UBC to provide academic support.Athlete responses to items assessing their experiences of academic thriving indicated thatalertness and personal & intellectual progress tend to decrease when progressing from pre-seasonto in-season (Appendix A, Table A3). 55% of athletes reported never using any academicresources for support (Appendix A, Table A2). Among the athletes that did access theseresources, Varsity Team Academic Coaches (VTACs) were the most widely used (33.3% ofrespondents) (Appendix A, Table A2). 11.9% have used Thunderstudy, and 2.4% have usedAcademic Coaching (Appendix A, Table A2). Resources were commonly accessed once permonth (16.6% of respondents), and 14.3% used them once per year (Appendix A, Table A2).Overwhelmingly, athletes reported a lack of barriers to accessing these resources (78% ofrespondents) (Appendix A, Table A2).The Academic Thriving Likert questions were asked in the context of pre-season andin-season time points, and participants were asked to select on a scale from one to five how muchthey agreed or disagreed with the following statements (Appendix A, Table A3).Item 1: I wake up each day feeling alert and enthusiastic even when my workload isheavy, had a mean response of 2.9 (SD = 0.9) in pre-season, and 2.4 (SD = 1) during in-season.The average response shifted from athletes feeling neutral about this statement to disagreeingwith it as their season progressed.Item 2: I feel I am experiencing positive personal and intellectual growth even whenacademic pressures are high. During pre-season, athletes leaned towards weak agreement with18this statement (x̄ = 3.6, SD = 0.8), and they became more neutral as their season advanced (x̄ =3.1, SD = 1.1).Item 3: I feel that I am constantly moving forward even when my workload ischallenging, had a mean response of 3.7 (SD = 0.7) during pre-season, and 3.1 (SD = 0.9) duringin-season. Like the previous question, athletes started in weak agreement, and shifted to feelingmore neutral about this statement.Item 4: I feel that my energy is depleted when my workload increases was a statement thatdid not drastically shift between pre-season (x̄ = 3.7, SD = 1) and in-season (x̄ = 3.8, SD = 1).This means that athletes were in weak agreement that their energy depletes as their quantity ofwork becomes greater, regardless of being pre-season or in-season.Item 5: I find myself stagnating when academic pressure increases, had athletes weaklydisagreeing during their pre-season (x̄ = 2.7, SD = 0.9), and then feeling more neutral during thein-season (x̄ = 3.1, SD = 1.1).Item 6: I feel that I am failing to progress when my workload is too high, had a meanresponse of 2.8 during the pre-season (SD = 0.9) and a mean of 3.2 during the in-season (SD =1.1). There was a slight shift from weak disagreement to weak agreement as time progressed.Physical Health and WellnessAthletes were examined on their experiences of physical health and wellness, in additionto their use of physical therapy and wellness services provided by UBC. Athlete responses toitems assessing their experiences of physical wellness indicated that performance, exhaustion,and injury due to overtraining increase when progressing from pre-season to in-season(Appendix A, Table A5). 92.8% of athletes reported using these services, with 23.8% using themtwice per week (Appendix A, Table A4). S&C coaches were the most commonly used resource19(78.6% of athletes), and Athletic Therapists (AT) (66.6%), Massage Therapy (50%), andDoctor’s Appointments (45.2%) were also widely used (Appendix A, Table A4). 38% ofrespondents indicated that they experienced barriers to accessing these resources occasionally(Appendix A, Table A4).The Physical Thriving Likert questions were asked in the context of pre-season andin-season time points, and participants were asked to select on a scale from one to five how muchthey disagreed or agreed with the statements (Appendix A, Table A5).Item 7: I can perform at my highest level with no constraining injuries, had a meanresponse of 3.9 (SD= 0.8) during pre-season, and a mean response of 3.2 (SD= 1.1) in-season.As their competitive season progressed, the participants' responses shifted towards disagreeingwith the statement, compared to at the beginning of the season where the mean was quite neutral.Item 8: I feel that any injuries I may be experiencing are solely from an accident and notfrom overtraining, tiredness, or any other external factors. This statement had a mean responseof 2.8 (SD= 1.1) during pre-season, and a mean response of 2.6 (SD= 1.1) in-season.Participants' responses began with a slight disagreement to the statement and as the competitiveseason progressed, responses became more negative.Item 9: I feel that my recovery is thorough and enough time is allowed to fully recoverfrom a training session. This statement saw a mean of 3.5 (SD= 0.9) during pre-season and amean of 2.9 (SD= 1.0) in-season. Responses started as neutral, and throughout the season, shiftedmoreMental HealthAthletes were assessed on their experiences of mental health and their use of mentalwellness resources provided by UBC. Athletes indicated slight increases in disengagement and20cognitive exhaustion over the course of the competitive season (Appendix A, Table A7). Mentalwellness resources were the least accessed of the services examined, with 66.7% of athletesnever using these resources (Appendix A, Table A6). Among athletes who did, resources weremore commonly used once per month, and seemed to increase in use by 4.8% in the in-seasoncompared to pre-season (Appendix A, Table A6). Student Counseling Services were used mostoften (21.4% of athletes) (Appendix A, Table A6). These resources also presented few barriers toaccess, with 73.8% of students reporting no obstacles (Appendix A, Table A6). 14.3%occasionally experience barriers, and 4.8% experience barriers most of the time (Appendix A,Table A6).General VitalityAthletes were assessed on their experiences of vitality and burnout. In responding toitems assessing their sense of energy, attitudes towards their activities, and their professionalefficacy, athletes were examined on the extent to which they demonstrated signs of burnout,which we considered the antagonist to thriving and vitality (Maslach, 2016). Athletes indicatedincreased sentiments of exhaustion, reduced ability to manage workload, depleted enthusiasm,and performance decrements as the season progressed. Additionally, both the cognitive andphysical aspects of burnout seemed to reduce as the season concluded (Appendix A, Table A7).The General Vitality Likert questions were asked in the context of pre-season andin-season time points, and participants were asked to select on a scale from one to five how muchthey agreed or disagreed with the following statements. These responses were analyzed toprovide insight on both experiences of vitality and burnout, as well as mental health, toacknowledge the wholistic and systemic impacts of burnout both cognitively and physically(Appendix A, Table A7).21All of the pre-season statements had athletes in agreement.Item 10: I feel motivated, excited, and energized to begin the season, had a mean of 4.2(SD = 0.8).Item 11: I am keen to set goals and prepare for the season ahead had a mean of 4.2 (SD =0.7)Item 12: I feel physically and mentally prepared to take on the demands of training, had amean of 4.0 (SD = 0.7).The beginning of in-season statements had athletes in slightly weaker agreement.Item 13: I feel that I am able to manage the change in workload as I begin training, had amean of 3.9 (SD = 0.7).Item 14: I am enjoying my training and excited to be back in season, also had a mean of3.9 (SD = 0.9), andItem 15: I feel energized, competent, and confident in my performance, had a mean of3.7 (SD = 0.9).The middle of in-season statements had more variability in the responses.Item 16: I am feeling physical and emotional fatigue from the demands of sport, had amean of 3.6 (SD = 1.0).Item 17: I feel disengaged and it is more difficult to remain focused in and out ofcompetition, had a mean of 2.9 (SD = 1.1), andItem 18: I am experiencing more physical stress, soreness, or incidence of injury, had amean of 3.5 (SD = 0.9).End of in-season statement responses had weaker agreement.22Item 19: I am looking forward to the decrease in training intensity after the season isover, had a mean of 3.8 (SD = 0.9).Item 20: I am focusing on my accomplishments and feel proud of what I have achievedover the course of the season, had a mean of 3.5 (SD = 0.9), andItem 21: I feel an increased need for rest and recovery, had a mean of 3.9 (SD = 0.9).Lastly, the post-season statements had some variability in the level of agreement of theresponses.Item 22: I feel rested and am anticipating the beginning of the next season, had a mean of3.4 (SD = 1.0).Item 23: I am keen to set new goals, had a mean of 4.0 (SD = 0.8), andItem 24: I feel I am able to prioritize recovery during this time and access support whereI need it, had a mean of 3.8 (SD = 0.9).Thematic AnalysisAthletes were posed open-ended questions to elaborate on their experiences with orbarriers to accessing resources provided by UBC and their sense of thriving throughout the term.In analyzing these responses, six key themes emerged: fluctuations in well-being, advertising ofservices, facilitating communication, improving efficacy, cost barriers, and resource availability.Fluctuations in well-being throughout the competitive season were emphasized by severalathletes in the context of mental health and workload manageability, detailing their tendency todecrease as the competitive season intensifies. Advertising of services appeared to be a keyobstacle for athletes in accessing these resources, as they expressed little knowledge of themwhen prompted, particularly academic support and mental wellness resources. Additionally,multiple athletes indicated weak impressions or knowledge of the potential benefits to using23these resources. Facilitating communication was emphasized by several respondents, reportingissues with getting in contact with coordinators, booking appointments, experiencing long waittimes, and not being able to access the professionals they need when they need them. Improvingefficacy of services was mentioned by some respondents who reported a perceived lack of benefitfrom having used academic and/or mental wellness resources. Cost barriers were noted byrespondents as a barrier to accessing mental wellness resources in particular. Finally, resourceavailability was noted as one of the primary current shortcomings of the resources offered byUBC; athletes expressed sentiments that there were simply too few appointments availableacross multiple types of resources to adequately support the volume of athletes who may benefitfrom their use.DiscussionAcademicsAvailable academic resources include VTACs, Thunderstudy (before 2020), andAcademic Coaching. The largest takeaway from this portion of the survey was the lack ofawareness surrounding academic resources. Overall, athletes seem to be unaware of the potentialbenefits they could receive from accessing these resources. Some of these benefits include helpwith time management, study skills, and preparing for exams, essays, and final papers (Canvas,2024).Athletes appear to experience less academic thriving during their in-season, compared totheir pre-season. Athletes’ perceptions of their personal thriving consistently shifts in a negativedirection, which indicates that thriving does change over the course of the competitive season.The learning process, a continuous process of improvement (Porath et al., 2012), becomes24weaker as time progresses. Vitality, a combination of physical and cognitive energy, and ‘a senseof feeling energized and alive’, also becomes increasingly negative based upon the time of anathlete’s season (Porath et al., 2012).There is minimal research that exclusively examines the relationship between academicthriving and the timeline of a competitive season. It is recommended that further academicresearch be conducted to create a greater understanding of how academics affect thriving. Thekey focus of academic literature on thriving has been done in the context of well-being andstress. For instance, Amorose et al (2009) found that athlete well-being had a negativerelationship with burnout during the end part of the competitive season. It was suggested that asworkload increased, burnout also increased. These are the same results that we found from oursurvey. This suggests that feelings of exhaustion, cynicism, and professional inefficacy are moreprominent as the competitive season progresses, as expressed by our participants.Additionally, Noon et al. (2015) declared that factors including training, competitionload, and external pressures, can negatively affect athlete well-being throughout a competitiveseason. We predict that an external pressure such as academic workload, combined with a highcompetition load, could induce a state of burnout.A key finding within our study was that energy depletion consistently occurred asworkload increased. The point of the competitive season, whether that be pre-season orin-season, did not appear to be a controlling factor for energy depletion. Energy depletion, andtherefore exhaustion, is a key symptom of burnout (Maslach & Leiter, 2016). Our study adoptedburnout as the antagonist to thriving, so this finding suggests that a greater workload results inreduced levels of thriving.25Performance ThrivingBased on the data collected, Physical Thriving seems to be the most utilized resource bythe Varsity Athletes participating in the survey. The available resources include ATs, S&Ccoaches, massage therapy, doctor’s appointments, and the triage clinic. Although the qualitativedata suggests that AT and S&C coaches are the most utilized resources, further analysis showsthat only 9.5% of participants use them weekly, and 23.8% use them twice a week. This indicatesa significant distinction between athletes using them once a week, twice a week, or not at all.Barriers to accessing these resources do seem to be a large concern for most of theparticipants, with 47.6% never experiencing barriers, 38.1% occasionally experiencing barriers,and 9.5% experiencing barriers all the time. These findings suggest that the demand for physicaltherapy resources was larger than the current capacity.Key findings in our statistics revolve around athletes feeling less physically optimal andmore deprived of recovery during the season. Striking a balance between optimal performanceand adequate recovery and load can pose a significant challenge. Research suggests that the morestressful factors an athlete faces, the more likely they are to experience burnout (Maslach &Leiter, 2016). Physical performance and well-being play a substantial role in an athlete's overallhealth, making it crucial for them to receive timely and quality treatment when injuries occur.In response to the problem proposed by UBC Athletics, athletes appear to experience lessphysical thriving/performance during their in-season compared to their pre-season. Throughoutthe responses, athletes continue to state that their thriving levels shift in a negative directionduring their competitive season. During their competitive seasons, the intense training andcompetition schedules may lead to increased physical demands, heightened fatigue and potentialoveruse injuries (Watson et al., 2016 & Noon et al., 2015). According to Ryan & Frederick26(1997), vitality, defined as "a sense of feeling energized and alive," plays a crucial role in athleteperformance, raising questions about its impact when injuries impede peak performance. Thepressure to perform at the highest levels can also result in elevated stress levels, which negativelyaffect sleep quality and sufficient recovery, further emphasizing the decline inphysical/performance thriving (Noon et al., 2015). Therefore, addressing these challengesbecomes crucial in maintaining optimal physical and psychological well-being among athleteswho are in-season. All of these factors combined, can potentially negatively impact one’sphysical thriving.Mental HealthResources placed under Mental Health, include Mental Performance Appointments,Wellness Advising, Student Counseling Services, Mental Health Appointments, and WellnessSupport.The data analysis gives a well-rounded collection of perceptions and experiencesthroughout the different progressions of a competitive season, providing insights into theutilization of the mental health resources among the athletes who participated in the survey.Notably, 66.7% of athletes do not use the available mental health resources. This is aquite significant portion of athletes, and therefore, may suggest that there are gaps inaccessibility and awareness of these resources. With mental performance, wellness advising,student counseling services, mental health appointments and wellness support all being offered tovarsity athletes, it is a considerable concern that student-athletes are not taking advantage ofthese resources.Although, from that 66.7%, it appears that the usage of resources increases during thein-season phase, compared to pre-season. However, further analysis on the barriers preventing27increased utilization is necessary. The majority of our participants reported experiencing nobarriers (73.8%), although 14.3% experienced occasional barriers and 4.8% frequentlyexperienced barriers. Based on our results, the dimension of mental thriving could present as anarea of development.A portion of the Likert scale questions were formulated to address burnout throughout thecompetitive season. High levels of motivation, excitement, and readiness were evident amongathletes during the pre-season period. This supports the notion that may be experiencing morevitality in the pre-season period. However, trends of adverse sentiments towards workloadmanagement, enjoyment of training, competence, and confidence seemed to trend upwards as theseason progressed. The decrease in agreement corresponds with the later portion of a competitiveseason, with more reports of fatigue, disengagement, difficulty focusing, and more physicalstress found in our data. For example, during the in-season and postseason phases, the agreementwith statements such as “looking forward to rest and recovery” and “setting new goals” showed aslight increase within participants. Feelings of relief and renewal seem to be commonexperiences among athletes when stressors are relieved. This suggests that the in-season phasemay be the most stressful factor for student-athletes, leading to mental and physical exhaustion(Amorose et al 2009). Prioritizing the recovery and mental well-being during all phases of thecompetitive season should be of utmost importance. All of these stress factors together, can leadto feelings of burnout, which in turn has a very negative effect on the mental state of an athlete(Amorose et al 2009).In conclusion, the results of the survey amplify the importance of promoting the mentalhealth resources available. The awareness and accessibility of these resources, as well as supportresources, should be easily found and used by student-athletes. Addressing the barriers that28certain participants highlighted, focusing resource funds on the specific needs of athletes, andfostering a more open university culture on mental health awareness are essential steps in theattempt to enhance the overall well-being and performance of student-athletes.LimitationsThis study contains a few limitations. Firstly, our study was limited by time;implementing a longitudinal study design would have been beneficial as it would have allowedus to gain more data and potentially reduce recall biases. Additionally, a longitudinal designcould potentially offer further insight into when thriving changes throughout a competitiveseason. Secondly, our study mainly received responses from the women’s softball team and thirdyear student-athletes. Therefore, this data may offer valuable insight into the thriving of softballplayers and third year student-athletes but the results and recommendations may not translatewell in different sporting contexts. Thirdly, our study only examined three aspects related tothriving. There are several additional factors that can impact an individual's perception ofthriving, therefore, future studies should examine intra and interpersonal relationships, and otherfactors related to thriving, to ensure a wholistic perspective is taken. Lastly, we received anadequate number of responses, but response rate to optional questions related to perceivedbarriers and a general lack of clarity as to what barriers varsity student-athletes face, make itchallenging for us to target and reduce potential barriers.Areas for Further ResearchOur study excluded non-rostered or injury-reserve varsity athletes. The experiences ofthriving for non-rostered or injury-reserve athletes could be a potential area of further research to29examine whether thriving experiences are similar or different compared to rostered, varsityathletes. Moreover, further research could involve comparisons between student-athletes indifferent years of study to deduce if year of study plays a role in student-athlete thriving.Additionally, thriving is such a broad topic and very individualized, so future studies shouldimplement a longitudinal design to allow for within subject comparison.RecommendationsBased on our findings, we have four specific recommendations that are aimed to enhanceathletes' academic thriving, performance thriving, and mental thriving. The recommendationsrange from immediately actionable to long-term, aspirational changes, all rooted in our collecteddata and analysis.Immediate ActionsT-Bird AppOur first recommendation covers a three-fold amendment to the T-Bird app. The currentT-Bird app consists of a website where athletes upload their health documents, grades and sportsrelated certifications (concussion awareness and anti-doping), however, this is not the onlyplatform where athletes access information. Currently, athletes have three main platforms,Canvas, Team-Builder/Slack and the T-bird App where they receive and upload information.Firstly, we propose that UBC Athletics merges these platforms into one, effectively making acentralized site where athletes can find information on all the resources they may need, and anyonboarding forms and courses they may need to complete. In regards to academic thriving,alterations to the T-Bird app could include a calendar where athletes can see important dates onthe academic calendar, as well as, potential team study sessions including Varsity Team30Academic Coaches (VTACs) and team specific Thunderstudy times. These Thunderstudy timescould provide teams the opportunity to bond and get school work done together. Additionally, thenew T-Bird app could include an academic resources module, similar to the one on the Canvaspage, which includes links and resources to access faculty specific academic advising services. Asimilar approach could be taken with regards to mental and physical thriving resources.Enhancements to the T-Bird app could integrate direct links to UBC's mental health resources.This update should provide an easy-to-navigate interface where athletes can find comprehensiveinformation about available mental health services, including Mental Performance Appointmentsand Wellness Advising. A feature for immediate redirection to UBC's mental health resourcewithin the app would streamline the process of seeking help. With regards to physical thriving,the amended T-Bird app could include nutritional resources, recipes and recovery tips designedby nutritionists and S&C coaches.The goal of this recommendation is to create a succinct, centralized “hub” forstudent-athletes to find and access a variety of targeted resources. This may also increaseunderstanding and awareness of available resources but further data collection on participationlevels is required to see if the current resources make an impactful difference on thriving.Integration of Rate of Perceived Exertion and Thriving Check-inNaclerio et al. (2015) defined rate of perceived exertion (RPE) is an important tool teamsand individuals can use to gauge physical exertion or the difficulty of an exercise or a workout.We propose that each team integrates a survey at the end of each practice or training session. Anupdated T-Bird App could include a check-in feature with a few questions. Firstly, one questionregarding RPE of the respective session. Secondly, Likert type questions for mental thriving,31physical thriving and for academic thriving. To close, this survey could include an open-endedcomment box where athletes can address other concerns related to the three dimensions. Thegoal of this recommendation is three-fold. Firstly, the collected data may allow team coaches andS&C coaches to better plan and tailor training sessions for student-athletes. Secondly, theopen-ended comment box may allow concerns and questions to be addressed anonymously. Thismay make athletes who are experiencing challenges with coaching staff or other team membersaddress their concerns without feeling at risk of punishment or repercussions from their coach orteam. Thirdly, this data from the thriving check-ins may help the athletics department to betterallocate mental performance resources and other related resources. One caveat for the success ofthis recommendation is the support and education of coaching staff to help facilitate participationand to be held responsible for integrating the data to form an evidence-informed practice plan.Pilot Walk-in Athletic Therapy SessionsThis long-term recommendation requires significant resources, however, we believe thatit would be an effective way of addressing physical thriving barriers and concerns. Asdemonstrated in our results and discussion section, 66.6% of participants have used an AT atsome point, however, 38.1% of participants have occasionally experienced barriers whenaccessing similar resources. This is a significant percentage of individuals experiencing barriersto resources. As mentioned in our limitations section, further research is required to deduce whatspecific barriers student-athletes may be experiencing, nevertheless, we believe that pilotingwalk-in appointments with ATs could be used to address lingering concerns or injuries that ariseout of practice times. Moreover, flexible appointments may allow busy student athletes to findthe opportunity to address injury concerns We recognize that this would be a significant draw onresources, however, we believe that it may be an effective way to increase appointment32availability without directly hiring more ATs, physiotherapists or doctors as part of the integratedsupport team.Long-Term RecommendationsLongitudinal Research and Development on Athlete ThrivingTo further understand and support athlete thriving, UBC Athletics could partner withacademic departments to conduct ongoing research into the effects of academic pressures,physical training, and mental health on student athlete performance. This research would aim todevelop evidence-based interventions tailored to the unique needs of varsity athletes, consideringfactors such as seasonality, sport-specific demands, and academic workload. Funding could besought for interdisciplinary projects that explore innovative approaches to athlete support,including technology-based solutions and community-based wellness initiatives.ConclusionIn conclusion, this mixed-methods study briefly examined the thriving of UBCstudent-athletes related to three overarching concepts: academic thriving, mental thriving andperformance thriving. Findings showed that UBC student-athlete participants experiencepotential barriers to accessing resources which may decrease wholistic thriving. While our studyincluded several limitations, we believe that four suggestions can be made to the UBC Athleticsdepartment. These suggestions cover improvements and centralizations of resources on theT-Bird App, integrating RPE and thriving check-ins to training sessions, walk-in athletic therapyappointments and longitudinal research.33Moving forward, it is crucial for UBC and UBC Athletics to implement and engage withthese recommendations and consider integrating them into existing structures. Key focusesshould be on the accessibility and centralization of available resources for student-athletes. Byprioritizing these recommendations, UBC Athletics can build upon their wellness approach thatfosters thriving for their athletes, both on and off the field.34ReferencesAmorose, A. J., Anderson-Butcher, D., & Cooper, J. (2009). Predicting changes in athletes’ wellbeing from changes in need satisfaction over the course of a competitive season.Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport, 80(2), 386–392.https://doi.org/10.1080/02701367.2009.10599575Biggins, M., Purtill, H., Fowler, P., Bender, A. M., Sullivan, K., Samuels, C., & Cahalan, R.(2020). Sleep, health, and well-being in elite athletes from different sports, before,during, and after international competition. The Physician and Sportsmedicine, 49(4),429–437. https://doi.org/10.1080/00913847.2020.1850149Canvas. (2024). The University of British Columbia. Authentication.ubc.ca.https://canvas.ubc.ca/courses/68044Gayles, J. G. (2009). The student athlete experience. New Directions for Institutional Research,2009(144), 33-41Eligibility. (n.d.). University of British Columbia Athletics. Retrieved February 5, 2024, fromhttps://gothunderbirds.ca/sports/2022/6/6/eligibility.aspx#:~:text=Within%20U%20SPORTS%2C%20an%20athleteLavrusheva, O. (2019). The concept of vitality. Review of the vitality-related research domain.New Ideas in Psychology, 56. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.newideapsych.2019.100752Maslach, C., Leiter, M. P. (2016). Burnout. In G. Fink (Ed.), Stress: Concepts, cognition,emotion, and behavior (1st ed., pp. 351-357). Academic Press.https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-800951-2.00044-335McKim, C. A. (2017). The Value of Mixed Methods Research: A Mixed Methods Study. Journalof Mixed Methods Research, 11(2), 202-222. https://doi.org/10.1177/1558689815607096Naclerio, F., Chapman, M. L., & Larumbe-Zabala, E. (2015). Use of the rate of perceivedexertion scales in resistance Training: a comment on Mayo, Iglesias-Soler, andFernández-Del-Olmo (2014). Perceptual and Motor Skills, 121(2), 490–493.https://doi.org/10.2466/25.29.pms.121c19x7Noon, M., James, R. S., Clarke, N. D., Akubat, I., & Thake, D. (2015). Perceptions of well-beingand physical performance in English elite youth footballers across a season. Journal ofSports Sciences, 33(20), 2106–2115. https://doi.org/10.1080/02640414.2015.1081393Porath, C., Spreitzer, G., Gibson, C., Garnett, F. G. (2012). Thriving at work: Toward itsmeasurement, construct validation, and theoretical refinement. Journal of OrganizationalBehavior, 33(2), 250-275. https://doi.org/10.1002/job.756Ryan, R. M., Frederick, C. (1997). On energy, personality, and health: Subjective vitality as adynamic reflection of well-being. Journal of Personality, 65(3), 529-565.https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-6494.1997.tb00326.xSchreiner, L. A. (2010). The “Thriving quotient.” About Campus, 15(2), 2–10.https://doi.org/10.1002/abc.20016Watson, A., Brickson, S., Brooks, A., & Dunn, W. (2016). Subjective well-being and trainingload predict in-season injury and illness risk in female youth soccer players. BritishJournal of Sports Medicine, 51(3), 194–199.https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2016-09658436AppendixAppendix A- TablesTable A1 - Participant DemographicsFrequency PercentSportBaseballMen’s RowingMen’s RugbyMen’s SwimmingSoftballWomen’s BasketballWomen’s HockeyWomen’s RowingWomen’s RugbyWomen’s Rugby SevensWomen’s Track and Field51311512361411.912.387.142.3835.712.384.767.1414.292.389.52Academic YearFirstSecondThirdFourthFifthCompetitive SeasonBoth TermsTerm 27141731231916.6733.3340.487.142.3854.7645.2437Table A2 - Academic ResourcesFrequency PercentFrequency of AccessMore than twice a weekTwice a weekTwice a monthOnce a monthOnce a yearNever12376232.384.767.1416.6714.2954.76Frequency of BarriersMost of the timeOccasionallyNever18332.3819.0578.57Table A3 - Academic Thriving38Mean Standard Deviation Skewness KurtosisPre-seasonItem 1Item 2Item 3Item 4Item 5Item 62.93.63.73.72.72.80.90.80.71.00.90.90.1-0.7-0.6-0.50.60.4-1.10.10.4-0.80.1-0.5In-seasonItem 1Item 2Item 3Item 4Item 5Item 62.43.13.13.83.13.21.01.10.91.01.11.10.7-0.10.2-1.2-0.10-0.1-1.4-1.21.0-1.0-1.139Table A4 - Physical Health and Wellness ResourcesFrequency PercentFrequency of AccessMore than twice a weekTwice a weekOnce a weekTwice a monthOnce a monthOnce a yearNever5104594311.9123.819.5211.9121.439.527.14Frequency of BarriersMost of the timeOccasionallyNever416209.5238.1047.6240Table A5 - Physical ThrivingMean Standard Deviation Skewness KurtosisPre-seasonItem 7Item 8Item 93.92.83.50.81.10.9-0.50.2-0.80.1-1.10In-seasonItem 7Item 8Item 93.22.62.91.11.11.0-0.10.7-0.5-1.2-0.2-0.8Table A6 - Mental Wellness Resources41Frequency PercentFrequency of AccessPre-seasonTwice a monthOnce a monthOnce a yearNever336287.147.1414.2966.67In-seasonOnce a weekTwice a monthOnce a monthOnce a yearNeverFrequency of BarriersMost of the timeOccasionallyNever12532826312.384.7611.917.1466.674.7614.2973.8142Table A7 - General VitalityMean Standard Deviation Skewness KurtosisPre-seasonItem 10Item 11Item 124.24.24.00.80.70.7-1.7-0.9-0.95.51.21.7Beginning In-seasonItem 13Item 14Item 15Middle In-seasonItem 16*Item 17*Item 18*End In-seasonItem 19Item 20Item 21Post-seasonItem 22Item 23Item 243.93.93.73.62.93.53.83.53.93.44.03.80.70.80.91.01.10.90.90.90.91.00.80.9-2.4-0.7-0.4-0.30.1-0.3-0.6-0.3-0.6-0.2-1.0-0.610.20.8-0.2-0.8-1.1-0.7-0.4-0.6-0.3-0.61.30*Items were reversed coded43Appendix B - FiguresFigure B1- Academic thriving during pre-season and in-season (a.u. Indicatesarbitrary units)44Figure B2- Physical health and wellness during pre-season and in-season (a.u.Indicates arbitrary units)Figure B3- General vitality during pre-season, beginning, middle, and end ofin-season, and postseason (a.u. Indicates arbitrary units)45Appendix C: Consent FormCLASS PROJECT: Health Promotion and Physical Activity (KIN 464)Participant Consent Form: Thriving or Surviving- A Look at UBC Varsity AthletesMultidimensional Thriving over a Competitive Season. [Group 17]Project ID: H17-03560-A017Principal Investigator: Dr. Andrea Bundon (Assistant Professor, School of Kinesiology, Facultyof Education)The purpose of the Class Project: To gather knowledge and expertise from community members,specifically, UBC varsity student-athletes, on the fluctuation of thriving, learning and vitalitythroughout a competitive season.Study Procedures: With your permission, we are asking you to participate in a survey. You mayonly complete each survey once. With the information gathered, students will critically examinehow different individuals understand or engage in health promoting activities or healthpromotion initiatives.Project outcomes: The information gathered will be part of a written report for the class project.The written report will be shared with campus partners involved with the project. Summaries offindings will also be posted on the following websites. UBC SEEDS Program Library:https://sustain.ubc.ca/courses-degrees/alternative-credit-options/seeds-sustainability-program/seeds-sustainability-library No personal information/information that could identify participants willbe included in these reports or shared with campus partners.Potential benefits of class project: There are no explicit benefits to you by taking part in thisclass project. However, the survey will provide you with the opportunity to voice your opinionon your experiences with health promoting activities or initiatives in a broad sense and willprovide the students with an opportunity to learn from your experiences. Confidentiality:Maintaining the confidentiality of the participants involved in the research is paramount, and nonames of participants will be linked to the data collected. At the completion of the course, alldata (i.e. notes) and signed consent forms will be stored on a secure electronic drive by Dr.Bundon. All data and consent forms will be destroyed 1 year after completion of the course.Risks: The risks associated with participating in this research are minimal. There are no knownphysical, economic, or social risks associated with participation in this study. You should knowthat your participation is completely voluntary and you are free to withdraw from the study andthere will not be negative impacts related to your withdrawal. If you withdraw from the study, allof the information you have shared up until that point will be destroyed.46Contact for information about the study: If you have any questions about this class project, youcan contact Andrea Bundon by email at andrea.bundon@ubc.caResearch ethics complaints: If you have any concerns or complaints about your rights as aresearch participant and/or your experiences while participating in this study, contact theResearch Participant Complaint Line in the UBC Office of Research Ethics at 604-822-8598 ore-mail RSIL@ors.ubc.ca . or call toll free 1-877-822-8598.Consent: Your participation in this study is entirely voluntary and you may refuse to participateor withdraw from the study at any time.By proceeding with this survey, I am confirming I have read the above information and agree toparticipate in this research project.
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UBC Social Ecological Economic Development Studies (SEEDS) Student Report
University of British Columbia. KIN 464
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Thriving or Surviving : A Look at UBC Student-Athlete Thriving
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