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oai:keep.lib.asu.edu:node-2005832025-05-27T20:28:27Zoai_pmh:alloai_pmh:repo_items

200583 https://hdl.handle.net/2286/R.2.N.200583 http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/ http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0 2025-05 31 pages Crossley, Michael Soares, Rebecca Kerber, Korey Barrett, The Honors College Department of Marketing This thesis explores how participation in team sports and individual sports—specifically martial arts—shapes identity, belonging, and psychological development in youth and young adults. Drawing on social identity theory, developmental psychology, and intersectionality, the research analyzes how the structure and culture of athletic environments influence self-perception. Through a comparative lens, the project examines how martial arts promote individualized growth, self-discipline, and internal progression, while team sports emphasize role-based identity, social connection, and collective achievement. The study further investigates how these frameworks affect mental health, body image, and emotional resilience across different demographics, with attention to gender, race, and class. Supported by over 50 academic sources, the analysis reveals that both team and individual sports contribute positively to identity development, but in fundamentally different ways. Martial arts foster autonomy and inward reflection, whereas team sports cultivate social belonging and emotional interdependence. This distinction has lasting implications for coaching practices, youth programming, and athlete support systems. By highlighting the psychological and cultural nuances within sport-based identity formation, this thesis contributes to a growing body of research on the role of athletics in shaping the self—and calls for more inclusive, informed approaches to sports education and mentorship. Identity formation Athletic Identity Youth Development Martial Arts Team sports Belonging Mentorship Psychological Development Emotional resilience Body Image Self-esteem Peer dynamics Role differentiation Sports Psychology Discipline and mastery Identity and performance The Impact of Martial Arts and Team Sports on Self-Identity, Belonging, and Body Image in Youth Athletes