How Does NIL Policy Impact the Well-Being of College Athletes and Beyond: A Multi-Stakeholder Perspective

IntroductionThis study examines the multifaceted impacts of the NCAA's NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) policy, which became effective on June 30, 2021, on the psychological well-being of Division I college athletes. The policy permits athletes to earn income from their NIL contracts, creating new roles as brand ambassadors and increasing the commercial use of social media. However, this expanded freedom can compound existing mental health challenges-including anxiety, stress, and burnout-that stem from athletic and academic commitments.MethodsEmploying semi-structured interviews with 14 Division I student-athletes and grounded in the Social Identity Model of Transition (SIMOT), this study examines how athletes navigate a triple identity (student, athlete, influencer), the relational environments in which NIL-related pressures are experienced, and the role of institutional support in shaping well-being outcomes.ResultsFindings reveal that NIL functions both as a source of motivation and a trigger for psychological strain, mediated primarily by social media demands, unequal access to NIL opportunities, and inconsistent institutional support.ConclusionSports psychologists and counselors working with student-athletes should be attentive to NIL-related stressors as a distinct and contemporary source of identity strain, role overload, and social media anxiety, and clinical assessments for this population should include questions about NIL engagement, social media management burden, and perceived inequality relative to teammates. At the institutional level, athletic departments should integrate mental health literacy into NIL orientation programs, ensuring that athletes can identify stress responses and seek support before distress escalates into more serious psychological difficulty. Notably, it is necessary to reiterate that the findings of this study only reflect Division I athlete experiences, and studying other competition levels is highly suggested.