Social media, mental health and equestrian events

Many studies have investigated the benefits and drawbacks of social media, but the impact it has on amateur sports participants who use it as part of their practice has been largely overlooked. This study addresses this gap, investigating the impacts of social media on the mental health of women par...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Event management 2024-10, Vol.28 (8), p.1149-1165
Main Authors: Snell, Sarah, Jepson, Allan, Stadler, Raphaela, Walters, Trudie, Dashper, Kate, Spencer, Neil, Bhatia, Persia
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Amateurs
Armature Sport Participation
Equestrian Events
Events planning
Horse sports
Mental Health
Participation
Social Media
Social networks
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Summary:Many studies have investigated the benefits and drawbacks of social media, but the impact it has on amateur sports participants who use it as part of their practice has been largely overlooked. This study addresses this gap, investigating the impacts of social media on the mental health of women participating in amateur sport activities – specifically, equestrian events through a mixed methods survey of 221 female amateur equestrians in the UK. Themes included the pressure to present a ‘perfect’ image to an external audience, the stress of comparison to others, and constant judgement around the performance of a participant. We also found issues of distorted reality and false representation. We conclude by highlighting a need for better assistance for athletes both while they are competing at events and at other times, particularly pre/post event.
ISSN:1525-9951
DOI:10.3727/152599524X17135753220147