Student-Athlete Participation In A Summer Bridge Program And The Implications Of Social Comparison On Academic Self-Efficacy

Abstract

Many first-generation, low-income, and minority students enroll in higher education and encounter unanticipated challenges, finding themselves underprepared for the rigors of academia. Student-athletes have competing dual commitments to athletics and academics which exacerbates their strain when they come from any of these backgrounds and they are classified as at-risk. This study assesses the impact of participation in a Summer Bridge program, as a learning community at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, to examine social comparison behaviors and the acquisition of academic self-efficacy as a result of their mandatory placement. Respondents reported higher confidence relative to fellow Summer Bridge participants compared to other university students. Summer Bridge Program participation was associated with a perceived increase in academic self-efficacy and good academic behaviors. The overall results support Summer Bridge Program participation. Future research should explore the mandatory nature of student-athletes who receive or do not receive a scholarship.