The Influence of Fan Engagement through Social Media on Performance Anxiety in Male NCAA Division I Athletes

Abstract

The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to explore how male NCAA Division I athletes describe the influence of fan engagement through social media on their performance anxiety in a university in the Southwestern, United States. This study was aligned with the Uses and Gratifications Theory and the Multidimensional Anxiety Theory, and included five research questions surrounding how male NCAA Division I athletes describe the influence of fan engagement on performance anxiety, in addition to its subcomponents of cognitive anxiety, somatic anxiety and self-confidence. This qualitative study included 12 adult male, NCAA Division I student athlete participants competing in a heavily followed sport. Participants were also required to own a personal Twitter account and must have had prior experience with fan engagement through this platform. The 12 participants completed a demographic questionnaire, completed the 27-item Competitive State Anxiety Inventory-2, submitted a 30-day artifact comprised of personal mentions received on Twitter while actively in season, and completed an individual, semi-structured interview. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and a thematic analysis, and 6 themes emerged. The themes that evolved are in relation to the student athlete’s experience with game time pressure, focus and concentration, game time nerves and somatic anxiety, negative and positive fan engagement experiences, and the appreciation of the student athlete platform. Results will aid in the development and implementation of student athlete training and support programs to address the fan-athlete relationship.