Self-Esteem and Female Collegiate Athletes

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine if there was a difference between selfesteem levels of female collegiate athletes on sports teams, depending on whether their team had a corresponding male team or not. The study utilized a causal comparative design to test differences in self-esteem in female sports when there is not a male team. Self-esteem was measured by participants rating a 16 item self esteem survey rated from Strongly Agree to Strongly Disagree. The study includes 27 female college athletes, in the age range of 18-22. Data regarding student’s self-esteem was collected and interpreted by the researcher. The study hypothesized that self-esteem will be higher in female collegiate athletes with a corresponding male team than in female athletes without a corresponding male team. The hypothesis was rejected. It was concluded that no difference was found between female athletes on teams with and without a corresponding male team. The results of this study help to support research involving the relationship between female collegiate athletes and self-esteem. Recommendations for future research include using a larger sample size, selecting teams with identical participant numbers, and using teams currently on the same season schedule.