TY - CHAP
T1 - Depression and stress in competitive athletes
AU - Belz, Johanna
AU - Kleinert, Jens
PY - 2018/4
Y1 - 2018/4
N2 - There is strong evidence that physical activity and exercise have a positive effect on mental health (Ströhle et al., 2007). One might assume, therefore, that competitive athletes are less susceptible to mental disorders such as depression. However, a meta-analysis and a systematic review showed that athletes have the same risk of suffering from mental disorders as the general population (Gorczynski, Coyle, & Gibson, 2017) and are just as likely to express elevated depressive symptoms as non-athletes (Rice et al., 2016). The first objective of this dissertation was to assess the extent of depression in competitive athletes and investigate the association between depression and a number of demographic variables (e.g., age, gender and competitive level), physiological variables (e.g., back pain) and psychological variables (e.g., stress and coping). Based on these findings, a theory-based intervention aiming to reduce stress, enhance coping strategies and decrease the risk of depression was implemented in a sample of competitive athletes and evaluated in terms of its effectiveness. In the first study, the aim was to assess the extent of depression in a sample of 1,799 competitive athletes and to evaluate the association between depression and demographic variables such as age, gender and performance level. Results showed that 13% of the competitive athletes were screened positive for depression. With regard to demographic variables, adolescents, females and athletes of junior national teams showed a higher risk for depression than other subgroups. The second study investigated stress and depression in a subpopulation of competitive athletes, i.e. athletes suffering from back pain, as back pain has been repeatedly associated with stress and depression in the general population. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to assess the relationship between both stress and depression with back pain parameters in a sample of 154 competitive athletes with back pain. The study results revealed that, as in the general population, the variables stress and depression were related to back pain. In particular, stress was associated with back pain intensity and depression with back pain-related disability. The aim of the third study, an intervention study, was to implement a 90-minute workshop on the topics of stress, recovery and coping strategies and to assess its short- and long-term effects on the perceived stress, coping strategies and risk for depression of 136 adolescent competitive athletes. The results of this study will be available later this year.
AB - There is strong evidence that physical activity and exercise have a positive effect on mental health (Ströhle et al., 2007). One might assume, therefore, that competitive athletes are less susceptible to mental disorders such as depression. However, a meta-analysis and a systematic review showed that athletes have the same risk of suffering from mental disorders as the general population (Gorczynski, Coyle, & Gibson, 2017) and are just as likely to express elevated depressive symptoms as non-athletes (Rice et al., 2016). The first objective of this dissertation was to assess the extent of depression in competitive athletes and investigate the association between depression and a number of demographic variables (e.g., age, gender and competitive level), physiological variables (e.g., back pain) and psychological variables (e.g., stress and coping). Based on these findings, a theory-based intervention aiming to reduce stress, enhance coping strategies and decrease the risk of depression was implemented in a sample of competitive athletes and evaluated in terms of its effectiveness. In the first study, the aim was to assess the extent of depression in a sample of 1,799 competitive athletes and to evaluate the association between depression and demographic variables such as age, gender and performance level. Results showed that 13% of the competitive athletes were screened positive for depression. With regard to demographic variables, adolescents, females and athletes of junior national teams showed a higher risk for depression than other subgroups. The second study investigated stress and depression in a subpopulation of competitive athletes, i.e. athletes suffering from back pain, as back pain has been repeatedly associated with stress and depression in the general population. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to assess the relationship between both stress and depression with back pain parameters in a sample of 154 competitive athletes with back pain. The study results revealed that, as in the general population, the variables stress and depression were related to back pain. In particular, stress was associated with back pain intensity and depression with back pain-related disability. The aim of the third study, an intervention study, was to implement a 90-minute workshop on the topics of stress, recovery and coping strategies and to assess its short- and long-term effects on the perceived stress, coping strategies and risk for depression of 136 adolescent competitive athletes. The results of this study will be available later this year.
M3 - Conference contribution - Published abstract for conference with selection process
SP - 5
BT - Abstractband zur Nachwuchstagung im Rahmen der 50. Jahrestagung der asp
A2 - Pels, Fabian
A2 - Boss, Martin
A2 - von Haaren-Mack, Birte
PB - Deutsche Sporthochschule, Psychologisches Institut
CY - Köln
T2 - Nachwuchstagung im Rahmen der 50. Jahrestagung der asp
Y2 - 8 May 2018 through 10 May 2018
ER -
