Paulina Trapp receives Erwin Hahn Prize for outstanding master's thesis!

Paulina Trapp receives Erwin Hahn Prize for outstanding master's thesis!

At the 55th annual meeting of the Sports Psychology Working Group (asp), Paulina Trapp was honored for her outstanding bachelor's thesis. She received the prestigious Erwin Hahn Study Prize for the best sports psychology master's thesis, which she wrote with the title “Physical Activity and Loneliness: The Role of Social Factors”. In her work, she examines the connection between physical activity and loneliness by shedding light on the dynamics of these two aspects.

For her research, Trapp conducted an outpatient assessment study that was specifically aimed at documenting dynamic changes in participants' experiences of loneliness and physical activity. Over a period of four days, the test subjects were interviewed daily at four different measurement times. The queries included both the current experience of loneliness and details about physical activity, such as the amount of time in minutes, the type of activity and the social context.

Invitation to present the research

The Erwin Hahn Study Prize not only honors the student's excellent scientific work, but also promotes young scientists in the field of sports psychology. Part of the award is the invitation to present her master's thesis at the asp annual conference. Paulina Trapp will present her results in a poster presentation in Bochum in May 2025. Her work was carried out by Dr. Christina Niermann (IIES) and Prof. Dr. Ines Pfeffer (ICAN) supervised.

Social integration through sport

The importance of social integration for students, as addressed in Trapp's work, could not be more relevant. In recent years it has become clear that the initial phase of studying brings with it a variety of challenges, especially with regard to making new social contacts. The pressure to integrate within the academic community remains significant for many young students.

Studies show that there is a high proportion of students who use psychological counseling services, which illustrates the increasing stress. This article deals with the socially integrative function of sport, particularly university sport, and highlights its potential to promote social contacts. Scientific studies, including the “NuPhA Study” (Nutrition and Physical Activity in Adolescence Study), show that club memberships make it easier to make contact with peers and can therefore counteract loneliness.

Although college sports have similarities to club sports, they are often less formalized and organized. These differences have a direct impact on students' social integration and loneliness experiences and highlight the need to pay more attention to this phenomenon.