An Exploratory Assessment of Codependency in Student-Athletes

The purpose of this study was to examine social factors that may contribute to assessed level of co-dependency in student-athletes attending Historically Black Colleges and Universities. The relationships between selected demographic variables and assessed co-dependency scores were investigated. The study had a forty-six percent (46%) response rate. Three hundred seventy-four (374) student-athletes out of eight-hundred (800) participated in the study. Out of the 374 student-athletes that responded to the investigative questionnaire, 211 (56.4%) were male and 163 (43.6%) were female. A One-Way ANOVA was performed to test the differences between the specific sport played and Independent Sample t-Tests were performed to test the differences between, revenue versus non-revenue sports. Co-dependency was measured by the Friel Adult Child/Co-dependency Assessment Inventory; the survey was offered to student-athletes of all ethnic groups and collegiate academic classes at the individual institutions.