THE EXAMINATION BETWEEN ATHLETIC IDENTITY, RELIGIOUS IDENTITY, AND STRESS

Athletic identity, religious identity, and psychological stress are all influential factors concerning athletes. Each variable has an immense effect on how athletes perform and their mental health. To better understand how these variables are interconnected, this literature review provides an analysis of the aca-demic literature regarding their relationship. Sources were collected through databases such as Google Scholar, EBSCO, and the Grand Canyon University Library, yielding 61 sources from the last decade that were analyzed and applied to the context of this review. Studies were evaluated to investigate whether religion moderates the effects of athletic identity on psychological stress and performance outcomes. Findings indicate that when an athlete’s identity is solely established in one’s sport or is exceptionally high in only religiosity, performance decreases and stress increases. High athletic identity alone can lead to identity foreclosure, reducing enjoyment and increasing vulnerability to stress. Conversely, extremely high religiosity may contribute to stress due to the demands of religious practice. Preliminary evidence suggests that athletes who balance their athletic and religious commitments across multiple domains of identity demonstrate healthier coping, lower stress, and improved performance.