Perceived quality of life of former African-American female athletes

The topic of quality of life as it relates to athletes has not been fully explored through present research. Many studies have addressed the issues surrounding quality of life such as self-esteem and body image, but most have failed to directly address the issue. The purpose of this study was to obtain qualitative information regarding the perceived quality of life of four former NCAA Division I African-American female athletes in collegiate basketball. In this study many of the issues that effect quality of life were addressed such as perceived life satisfaction, self-esteem, relationships with others, level of happiness, body image, extroversion versus introversion, and levels of success outside of sport. Each participant took part in a semi-structured interview conducted by the researcher. Ten interview questions were used as a guide for the sessions. Each interview was audiotaped for accuracy. A second interview was conducted whereby participants were given the opportunity to listen to their audiotapes, read their transcripts and/or summaries, and add or delete any information deemed necessary by them. There were several themes that emerged during the interviews. Each theme and sub-theme is a component of quality of life which appeared to be significant to the participants of this study. These components included their level of independence and maturity; goals; doing your best; and transferring skills from sport to other areas of life including teamwork, communication, and concentration/focus. Participants also discussed negative aspects of sport including the lack of recognition of female athletes, the lack of social life, the lack of role models, and the lack of parental support. The topic of physical appearance was addressed as well. It appears as though these participants experienced an enhanced perception of their quality of life as a result of their athletic participation. It is important, however, to note that the responses given by these participants are not definitive of what quality of life is , but are responses related to their own personal sense of the quality of their lives.