COLLEGE ATHLETE MENTAL HEALTH: UNDERSTANDING THE ROLES OF TEAM CULTURE, NIL, AND SOCIAL MEDIA

College athletes are a vulnerable population to mental health concerns due to additional stressors that typical college students do not face. A conceptual analysis of the underlying systems that contribute to these issues is lacking. Therefore, this work presents a conceptual model of the mental health landscape of college athletics based on Bronfenbrenner’s (1986) socio-ecological model (SEM). This work also provides a key focus on social media embedded into the lives of college athletes, guided by self-presentation theory (Goffman, 1959). Interviews were conducted with 17 former college athletes, revealing the following themes: (1) The Institution: NCAA Polices, Culture, and Resource Gaps, (2) Interpersonal Complexities: Influence of Coaches and Teammates, (3) Internal Battles: Demands, Mental Health Struggles, and Stigma, and (4) Personal Identity Struggles of College Athletes and Transition Out of Sport. This study offers contributions to theory and practice. The model guides future research studying unique organizational systems in and beyond athletics. The interviews inform future policies within college athletics to take a more holistic approach.