Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

How Student-Athletes’ Self-Esteem And Performance Are Influenced By Social Media Sports Fandom, Brooke Alexander

Theses - ALL

This study evaluates the role of positive and negative messages on social media from sports fans and its effect on student-athletes’ self-esteem and performance. Through a qualitative research process, this study examined what drives student-athletes to seek validation of their identities through messages in social media and how the messages they read online affect their self-esteem and performance in their sport. Public relations has become an integral part in college athletics in reputation management, brand attributes and social issues. It is essential that public relations specialists involved in athletics are aware of how their student-athletes are feeling regarding social media …