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Doctor of Philosophy / Department of Counseling and Educational Psychology / Stephen L. Benton; Adrienne Leslie-Toogood / There is growing concern over the academic performance of student athletes in today’s institutions of higher education. Across all media, the public is constantly reminded that the success rate of student athletes is not what it should be. One hypothesis for this poor performance is that athletes are not as well prepared to go to college as their non-athletic counterparts. This could be attributed to low high school academic standards, or high school teachers allowing athletes to underperform due to their status as an athlete, or a lack of time for studying due to sport participation. The NCAA mandates certain academic standards for entrance into college, yet athletes still struggle to maintain passing grades, with some failing to graduate. Most college students are admitted to college based on their potential to benefit from an institution’s programs and educational opportunities. In many institutions, especially at the Division I level, student athletes are admitted for their potential to provide benefits for the institutions. This study compared the college graduating GPA of athletes and nonathletes relative to ACT score to determine if athletes were underperforming in college. Additionally the effect of gender, ethnicity and type of sport was examined. This study used hierarchical regression equations to examine these effects. When looking at athletes only, type of sport, gender, and ethnicity had very little influence on graduating GPA. When examining all students, ACT test scores were significantly related to college graduating GPA.

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The problem with which this study is concerned is to determine whether or not differences exist in the achievement of student development tasks by college student athletes and non-athletes. The investigation also tested for differences in the achievement of developmental tasks between athletes and non-athletes based on the variables of race (black or white), classification, and interpersonal behavior orientation. The sample was composed of 276 male students (201 non-athletes and 75 athletes) who attend a large private university in Texas. Each participant completed both a student developmental task inventory questionnaire, which measures individual achievement of the tasks of developing autonomy, purpose, and mature interpersonal relationships, and an interpersonal relationship orientation-behavior instrument, which measures an individual's orientation to others on the scales of inclusion, control, and affection.

The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to investigate the lived experiences of academic advisors who have master’s degrees in counseling in addressing wellness with college student-athletes. Of particular note was to explore if they addressed wellness and, if so, how they addressed wellness. Extant literature is replete with evidence documenting the numerous challenges and stressors student-athletes experience due to their athlete status. Prior to this study, the role of the academic advisor in addressing wellness has not been represented in the literature. This study examined the lived experiences of 10 academic advisors with counseling degrees, or currently enrolled in graduate level counselor education programs, in addressing wellness with college student-athletes through semi-structured individual interviews. Results from the data analysis yielded four themes and seven sub-themes: Academic Skills and Planning, Counselor Practice and Knowledge (emphasis on fostering relationships, counseling skills and theory, and athletic empathy), Barriers to Seeking Support Services, and Cultivating Holistic Wellness in Student-Athletes (career and life skill development, psychological support, coach-advisor relationship, and case management). The findings suggest that academic advisors are addressing wellness with their college student-athletes. Moreover, the results provide specific insights as to how academic advisors utilize their counseling skills when providing wellness services. These results provide several implications for counseling programs, academic advising, and athletic departments. Suggestions for future research are also included.