Getting 1% Better: A Statistical Analysis of Self-Affirmation Strategies and Athletic Performance in NCAA Division I Women's Ice Hockey

Abstract

This study delves into the theory of self-affirmation, which suggests that individuals strive to maintain a positive self-image and self-worth when faced with threats (Steele, 1988). It explores the implications of self-affirmation, particularly its influence on athletic performance and the psychological mechanism underlying its effectiveness. Through an extensive literature review, this research investigates how self-affirmation impacts individuals' responses to threats across various domains, examining cognitive, physiological, and social mechanisms. The central focus of this study is to explore the potential of self-affirmation to enhance athletic performance among NCAA Division I women's ice hockey players. Using a combination of performance metrics, the study aims to mitigate stress, reduce stereotype threat, improve athletes' sense of belonging, and ultimately enhance on-ice performance through virtual self-affirmation interventions. The primary hypothesis predicted improved overall on-ice performance among treatment participants compared to controls. However, the findings did not support this hypothesis, as the two groups had no statistically significant difference in performance scores. The further analysis explores the interaction effect with demographic factors such as class year, race, ethnicity and player role titles. This research contributes to the growing body of literature on self-affirmation and its potential application in athletics contexts, shedding light on its effectiveness and limitations in improving performance and well-being among student-athletes. Limitations of this study highlight the need for future research to explore the role of self-affirmation in athletic performance enhancement.