A Gamified Intervention to Enhance First Year Student-Athletes' Academic Self-Efficacy and Well-Being: A Mixed Methods Study

Student-athletes hold lower academic efficacy beliefs than non-athletes (Jolly, 2008) and often report struggling with academics during their first year of college (Huml et al., 2019). Stress, burnout, and mental health concerns have increased since the pandemic, impacting academic performance and self-efficacy. Gamification can enhance motivation and self-efficacy and appeals to this generation (Kapp, 2012). The purpose of this intervention was to increase academic self-efficacy, reduce perceptions of academic stress, and shift stress mindsets in first year student-athletes. We utilized a mixed methods approach grounded in a pragmatic paradigm. Student-athletes (n = 24) and a comparable non-athlete control group (n = 35) completed measures of academic self-efficacy, perceived academic stress, and stress mindset at three points during the semester. Student-athletes attended workshops and completed tasks to practice and develop various mental tools and skills, and participated in semi-structured interviews to evaluate the program. Data analysis revealed significant differences between student-athletes and non-athletes in academic self-efficacy, one of four perceived academic stress subscales, and stress mindset (p < .001 for all) following the intervention. Student-athletes evaluated the overall program and workshops as beneficial. Qualitative data analysis produced seven themes and guided recommendations for practitioners and campus-level programming.