Discuss how an individual's personal identity as an athlete affects their response to injury and rehabilitation. (5 marks)
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*PEEL – Structure solution using separate PEEL methods for each side of the argument; [P] Identify the point, [E] expand on the point with a link to question asked, [Ev] apply evidence/examples, [L] linking sentence back to question.
Sample Answer
Benefits of Strong Athletic Identity:
- [P] Strong athletic identity enhances rehabilitation adherence.
- [E] Athletes who view sport as central to their identity demonstrate greater commitment to recovery.
- [Ev] Elite swimmers complete rehabilitation sessions religiously, pushing through discomfort to return to competition.
- [L] This demonstrates how athletic identity positively drives rehabilitation efforts.
- [P] Athletic identity provides clear purpose during recovery.
- [E] When sport defines self-concept, rehabilitation becomes meaningful rather than tedious.
- [Ev] Professional footballers maintain intense focus during ACL rehabilitation to restore their core identity.
- [L] Therefore, athletic identity sustains motivation throughout lengthy rehabilitation.
Challenges of Strong Athletic Identity:
- [P] However, exclusive athletic identity creates psychological distress when injured.
- [E] Athletes lacking alternative identities experience threats to their fundamental self-concept.
- [Ev] Tennis players defining themselves solely through sport develop depression during shoulder injuries.
- [L] This reveals how narrow identity focus negatively impacts mental health.
- [P] Conversely, athletes may rush rehabilitation when athletic identity dominates.
- [E] The psychological need to restore their defining activity overrides medical advice.
- [Ev] Runners frequently return prematurely, causing re-injury to hamstrings.
- [L] Consequently, strong athletic identity impedes proper rehabilitation when athletes prioritise identity restoration over recovery.
*PEEL – Structure solution using separate PEEL methods for each side of the argument; [P] Identify the point, [E] expand on the point with a link to question asked, [Ev] apply evidence/examples, [L] linking sentence back to question.
Sample Answer
Benefits of Strong Athletic Identity:
- [P] Strong athletic identity enhances rehabilitation adherence.
- [E] Athletes who view sport as central to their identity demonstrate greater commitment to recovery.
- [Ev] Elite swimmers complete rehabilitation sessions religiously, pushing through discomfort to return to competition.
- [L] This demonstrates how athletic identity positively drives rehabilitation efforts.
- [P] Athletic identity provides clear purpose during recovery.
- [E] When sport defines self-concept, rehabilitation becomes meaningful rather than tedious.
- [Ev] Professional footballers maintain intense focus during ACL rehabilitation to restore their core identity.
- [L] Therefore, athletic identity sustains motivation throughout lengthy rehabilitation.
Challenges of Strong Athletic Identity:
- [P] However, exclusive athletic identity creates psychological distress when injured.
- [E] Athletes lacking alternative identities experience threats to their fundamental self-concept.
- [Ev] Tennis players defining themselves solely through sport develop depression during shoulder injuries.
- [L] This reveals how narrow identity focus negatively impacts mental health.
- [P] Conversely, athletes may rush rehabilitation when athletic identity dominates.
- [E] The psychological need to restore their defining activity overrides medical advice.
- [Ev] Runners frequently return prematurely, causing re-injury to hamstrings.
- [L] Consequently, strong athletic identity impedes proper rehabilitation when athletes prioritise identity restoration over recovery.