Effect of Collegiate Sport Participation on Perceived Occupational Balance

PURPOSE AND BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of a demanding occupation, collegiate sports, on perceived occupational balance. Occupational imbalance has been linked to psychological and emotional problems, and an increasing number of studies support the benefit of occupational balance for health and wellness. A study on rheumatoid arthritis found that higher ratings of occupational balance correlated positively with overall health and physical and social function; negative correlations between occupational balance and fatigue and pain were also found (Backman, 2004). Data from Fox et al. (2010) support the association between participation in physical activity and sports teams and academic success. The results of the current study can also lead to a better understanding of potential solutions to increase academic success and life satisfaction in collegiate athletes.

METHOD: For this mixed method study, four participants were recruited through convenience sampling. Inclusion criteria were full-time students and varsity cross country athletes in their 2nd, 3rd, or 4th year at the University of New England. Semistructured interviews were conducted one on one at the beginning and end of the semester regarding in-season and out-of-season perceived occupational balance. Two quantitative measures, the Occupational Questionnaire and the Satisfaction with Life Scale, were administered during each interview. The interviews were audio recorded, transcribed, and coded for themes using grounded theory, and quantitative measures were statistically analyzed.

RESULTS: Themes derived from the coded interviews support a positive relationship between increased perceived occupational balance and participation in collegiate cross country sports. Statistical analysis showed no significant differences between pre and post quantitative measures.

CONCLUSION: With results supporting elevated perceived occupational balance for collegiate cross country runners in season as opposed to out of season, the researcher’s hypothesis was supported. The results of this study suggest that involvement in a demanding occupation improves perceived occupational balance. These findings can be used in occupational therapy practice with college students to understand the complex relationship between demanding occupations and health and wellness. The findings also support the importance of participation in meaningful occupations for sustaining health and wellness. This study is limited by the small sample size; further studies should be conducted to identify the generalizability of the results.

References

Backman, C. L. (2004). Occupational balance: Exploring the relationships among daily occupations and their influence on well-being. Canadian Journal of Occupational Therapy, 71, 202–209. https://doi.org/10.1177/000841740407100404

Christiansen, C., & Townsend, E. A. (2004). Introduction to occupation: The art and science of living (2nd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.

Corrigan, J. D., Kolakowsky-Hayner, S., Wright, J., Bellon, K., & Carufel, P. (2013). The Satisfaction With Life Scale. Journal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation, 28, 489–491. https://doi.org/10.1097/HTR.0000000000000004

Diener, E., Emmons, R. A., Larsen, R. J., & Griffin, S. (1985). The Satisfaction With Life Scale. Journal of Personality Assessment, 49, 71–75. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15327752jpa4901_13

Fox, C. K., Barr-Anderson, D., Neumark-Sztainer, D., & Wall, M. (2010). Physical activity and sports team participation: Associations with academic outcomes in middle school and high school students. Journal of School Health, 80, 31–37. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1746-1561.2009.00454.x