Generalizing the Team Identification-Psychological Health Model to a Different Sport and Culture: The Case of Australian Rules Football

D. L. Wann (2002) proposed the team identification-psychological health model, hypothesizing that identification with a local sport team will be related to psychological well-being. The model also proposes that identification with distant sport teams and mere fandom will not be related to well-being. In a study involving Australian Rules Football, the authors extended previous research by testing the model with persons from a different culture and examining identifications involving a different sport and level of competition. Participants completed a questionnaire packet assessing their levels of fandom, identification with a local Australian Rules Football team, and identification with a favorite team if different from the target team, as well as measures assessing psychological well-being. With respect to social well-being, the results supported the model: Personal well-being was not related to identification.