Athletes’ Secure Attachment to God Beneficial for Mental Health, Self-Worth

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Elite athletes, including Olympic athletes at the top of their sport, often drop to their knees in prayer before competition and after, whether following the thrill of victory… or the agony of defeat. But how does an athlete’s relationship with God affect their mental well-being, as well as their self-worth?

In the Journal of Religion and Health, a multidisciplinary team of Baylor University researchers has published the first study that investigates how the divine relationship, specifically attachment to God, affects the mental health of U.S. collegiate athletes. Their findings identify both healthy and negative relationships between attachment style to God and mental health in a sample of athletes, as well as a specific discovery about a secure attachment to God that promotes a sense of self-worth that is not dependent on the approval of others. Their work adds to the sparse research examining the role of religion/spirituality in well-being in athletic populations.

The study was led by Laura Upenieks, Ph.D., assistant professor of sociology, along with co-authors Elizabeth M. Bounds, a Ph.D. candidate in psychology; Karen K. Melton, Ph.D., associate professor of child and family studies; Perry Glanzer, Ph.D., professor of educational foundations; and Sarah A. Schnitker, Ph.D., associate professor of psychology and neuroscience. The study was supported by a grant from the John Templeton Foundation.

“We were interested in this study to look at how an athlete’s relationship with God might affect the well-being of athletes,” Upenieks said. “A stronger, more secure relationship with God might enable athletes to better cope with the immense stress and pressure of their lives, and the relationship with this divine being might also offer an alternative source of approval in a hyper-competitive environment.” 

Secure attachment to God protects mental health

For their study, the researchers used a longstanding attachment theory that the enduring emotional bonds between children and their primary caregivers establish a broad foundation for well-being and internal working models. An extensive body of evidence also supports the idea, the researchers noted, that God can function as an attachment figure, which can provide many of the same – and possibly more – psychological benefits as a human attachment relationship.

In their analysis of a national sample of collegiate student-athletes, the researchers said their findings suggest that a secure attachment to God – a relationship characterized by feelings of love, approval and security – is protective for student-athlete mental health.

However, if an athlete has an anxious attachment – perceiving God as distant and cold – or an avoidant attachment – confusing or inconsistent perceptions of God's reactions (warm and loving at some points, but removed and unreliable at others) – both pose a greater mental health risk, including higher rates of depression and anxiety.

Specifically, the research found that:

• If interactions with attachment figures are generally positive (i.e., the attachment figure is available and responsive, especially in times of need), the internal working model tends to be secure and positive. A securely attached individual internalizes a view of the self as worthy, of others as trustworthy and reliable, and of the world as predictable and safe.
• In contrast, when attachment figures are rejecting or inconsistent, the internal working model tends to view the self and others in negative ways and the world as uncertain. Attachment insecurity (i.e., avoidant, anxious) is a risk factor for depression and anxiety because it predisposes a person to hopeless, pessimistic models.

“Our study really highlights that the associations with mental well-being were dependent on how an athlete was attached to God,” Upenieks said. “While athletes holding a secure attachment reported less depressive and anxiety symptoms, the relationship between holding an avoidant or anxious attachment with worse mental well-being was stronger. This suggests that not all forms of attachment are created equal in terms of athlete well-being – in fact, having a more negative attachment style seems to carry some risk with it.” 

Contingent self-worth

As participants in high-performance sports, student-athletes have existed in a world where nearly everything – from scholarships to playing time, championships to personal accolades – is earned and contingent. In their study, the Baylor researchers identified a mechanism that links attachment style to God with mental well-being through contingent – or conditional – self-worth based on approval from others.

• SECURE: They found consistent evidence across both depressive and anxiety symptoms that a secure attachment to God is associated with better mental well-being in part because it promotes a sense of self-worth that does not depend on others’ approval.
• AVOIDANT: In contrast, if a student-athlete has an avoidant attachment where they see God as removed from their personal affairs, they may instead seek approval from others to temporarily satisfy a need they don’t see as being met through a divine relationship. However, constantly relying on the approval of others, which can include coaches, parents, teammates and (social) media and more, can be addicting and damaging to emotional and psychological well-being.
• ANXIOUS: For student-athletes with an anxious attachment to a perceived unreliable and inconsistently available God, God instead may become an “additional other,” where they have to earn God’s love and care.

“When we think about student-athletes and the pressures and demands on them, they are often seeking approval from coaches, trainers, teammates, parents, and increasingly, brands they may be representing or receiving financial compensation from,” Upenieks said. “But if athletes have a warm, positive relationship with God – characterized by a secure attachment – they are less dependent on the approval of others. In other words, their relationship with God may be satisfying many needs and so they carry on in their athletic and academic pursuits knowing they have a divine being to rely on for comfort, strength and love.” 

Implications and future study

The study results, although based on cross-sectional data, could provide college sports practitioners with additional insight into attending to the religion/spirituality needs of student-athletes, even at non-religious institutions, and how they may be helped or harmed by their religion/spirituality beliefs regarding God.

Future research could explore different attachments to God, other faith traditions and additional outcomes, such as physical health and sport-specific performance. Given the higher rates of mental health problems seen in student-athlete samples, an athlete’s relationship with God could be a valve to release some of the pressure placed on them in a high-stakes environment. It is likely that other aspects of religious/spiritual life could also yield positive benefits. 

ABOUT LAURA UPENIEKS, PH.D.

Laura Upenieks received her Ph.D. from the University of Toronto in 2019 and joined the Baylor faculty in 2020, where she serves as assistant professor of sociology and undergraduate program director. Her research interests are in religion and health, aging and the life course and quantitative methods. She is currently working on projects related to individuals’ perceived relationship with God and well-being, religious virtues and health and religious/spiritual struggles over the life course. A former collegiate athlete and member of Team Canada, Upenieks’ research also has begun to explore the relationship between religion/spirituality and health among collegiate athletes. Her recent research is published or forthcoming in the Journal of Health and Social Behavior, Social Science Research, Sociology of Religion, Sociology of Sport and Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion.

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