Brynna Dodge

Thesis title: Project Safety Net- The Risks and Opportunities of Social Media for Young People in Sport

Most young people (age 16-24) in the UK have a social media account; using platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, YouTube, and WhatsApp as prosumers. In adult player/athlete populations, they use social media to seek information to help their performance, for entertainment and relaxation, to communicate with coaches and teammates, to connect with the public, and for self-promotion. Equally, evidence indicates negative impacts such as exposure to misinformation and harmful or inappropriate content online, and public and private virtual maltreatment. National Governing Bodies (NGBs) and other sport institutions have safeguarding policies to protect their players/athletes from harm. However, in the UK there are currently no evidence-based guidelines for sport organisations to deal with potential online harm for young players/athletes nor is there considerate mention of safeguarding in the social media context. Furthermore, current narratives are risk-based and favour prohibition over promotion. The purpose of this study is to explore young player/athletes’ social media practices related to wellbeing and performance by asking: i. How do young player/athletes use social media? ii. What is the association between social media use, mental wellbeing, and performance in young player/athletes? iii. What are the risk and protective factors related to social media use in the context of wellbeing and performance in young player/athletes? This is a multi-method, cross-sectional observational study where data will be collected across three phases: (1) a quantitative, online survey; (2) qualitative case studies; (3) co-designing of key recommendations/guidelines for practice to support player/athlete wellbeing and performance in the digital age.

Biography:

Brynna first began her academic career at Oregon State University in the US where she originates, with a BA in Cultural-Linguistic Anthropology. She then moved to the UK to pursue an MA in Media, Culture & Everyday Life at the University of Liverpool where her thesis focused on censorship of photo/videography at the 2022 Men's World Cup. Brynna then moved to the University of Birmingham to complete the MA in Social Research after being awarded the ESRC 1 +3 studentship. Her thesis explored athlete-coach engagement on social media and was integrated into a larger research project, the SMS'S Study (Social Media Safeguarding in Sport). While working on her PhD, she also plays football which has been a lifelong passion as an athlete, a spectator, and a researcher.

Birmingham

http://www.linkedin.com/in/brynna-dodge

Supervisory Team:

Dr Victoria Goodyear

Prof Daniel Rhind (Loughborough)

Dr Laura Wright