Role Conflict and the High School Female Athlete

Abstract

The primary purpose of this study was to assess perceived and experienced role conflict of high school female athletes in enacting the roles of female and female athlete. Data were collected on 133 high school varsity athletes by the use of a 33-item questionnaire designed to assess perceived and experienced role conflicts of the subjects, their socioeconomic backgrounds, and specific instances of encouragement or discouragement from significant others experienced during their athletic careers. Thirty-two percent of the subjects responded that they perceived little or no problem with role conflict, and 50% had experienced little or no role conflict. Seventeen percent of the subjects responded that they perceived role conflict to be a great or very great problem with 11% experiencing role conflict to the same degree. A chi square analysis of perceived and experienced role conflict computed for the entire group of subjects indicated that the athletes perceived greater role conflict than they had experienced (p<.01). A one way analysis of variance was performed comparing the means of the athletes in traditionally socially approved sports, those in non-traditionally socially approved sports, and those participating in both categories. Results indicated a tendency for those participating simultaneously in both socially approved and non-socially approved sports to have experienced more role conflict (p≤.07).

A distinction between internal and external role conflict was suggested as a method of understanding the different types of pressures with which the female athlete must deal.