Abstract
An emerging body of research on positive mental health in sport examines the processes through which youth define and internalize the teams to which they belong – called social identity. Through elevated social identity, individuals acquire psychological resources in the form of connection to fellow group members, social support, and a sense of meaning and purpose. This study tested (a) the relationship between social identity and resilience as one indicator of positive mental health, and (b) possible boundary conditions of this relationship (i.e., age, gender, team experience). A total of 289 youth athletes (Mage = 16.35, 56% Girls, 80% White) from a range of sport types completed measures of social identity (ingroup ties, cognitive centrality, and ingroup affect) and resilience. Results replicated a positive relationship between social identity and resilience (F(3, 263) = 6.44, p < .001), accounting for 20% of the variance. Ingroup ties (β = .25) and ingroup affect (β = .22) were both significant predictors of resilience. Age moderated only the ingroup affect-resilience relationship, with the association being strongest for younger (β = .28) compared with older athletes (β = .14; ps < .001). Collectively, the results suggest that youth athletes who report greater social identity with their team, in particular the bonding and belongingness experienced with other members and positive emotions tied to membership, also feel more capable of adapting to the adversity they face in everyday life. This study extends the boundaries of this relationship across demographic features such as age, gender, and team experience.
