Article

Relationship between social support and depressive symptoms in collegiate student athletes

Authors:
To read the full-text of this research, you can request a copy directly from the authors.

Abstract

Depression levels in collegiate athletes are consistent with or higher than those of the general population [Cox (2015 Cox, C. (2015). Investigating the prevalence and risk-factors of depression symptoms among NCAA Division I collegiate athletes [Doctoral dissertation, Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville]. [Google Scholar]). Investigating the prevalence and risk-factors of depression symptoms among NCAA Division I collegiate athletes (Doctoral dissertation, Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville); Prinz, Dvořák, & Junge (2016 Prinz, B., Dvořák, J., & Junge, A. (2016). Symptoms and risk factors of depression during and after the football career of elite female players. British Journal of Medicine and Sport Open Sport & Exercise Medicine, 2(1), e000124.https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjsem-2016-000124 [Google Scholar]). Symptoms and risk factors of depression during and after the football career of elite female players. British Journal of Medicine and Sport Open Sport & Exercise Medicine, 2(1), e000124; Wolanin, Hong, Marks, Panchoo, & Gross (2016 Wolanin, A., Hong, E., Marks, D., Panchoo, K., & Gross, M. (2016). Prevalence of clinically elevated depressive symptoms in college athletes and differences by gender and sport. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 50(3), 167–171. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2015-095756[Crossref], [PubMed], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]). Prevalence of clinically elevated depressive symptoms in college athletes and differences by gender and sport. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 50(3), 167–171], warranting examination of probable causes and protective factors. This study examined depressive symptoms in collegiate athletes and how they relate to different types and sources of social support. The student athlete population at a Division I university (N = 238) completed a survey on depressive symptoms (i.e., Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale) [CES-D; Radloff (1977 Radloff, L. S. (1977). The CES-D scale. Applied Psychological Measurement, 1(3), 385–401. https://doi.org/10.1177/014662167700100306[Crossref], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]). The CES-D scale. Applied Psychological Measurement, 1(3), 385–401] and social support (i.e., Berlin Social Support Scale; [BSSS; Schulz & Schwarzer (2003 Schulz, U., & Schwarzer, R. (2003). Soziale Unterstützung bei der Krankheitsbewältigung. Die Berliner Social Support Skalen (BSSS) [Social support in coping with illness: The Berlin Social Support Scales (BSSS)]. Diagnostica, 49(2), 73–82. https://doi.org/10.1026//0012-1924.49.2.73[Crossref], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]). Soziale Unterstützung bei der Krankheitsbewältigung. Die Berliner social support Skalen (BSSS) [Social support in coping with illness: The Berlin social support scales (BSSS)]. Diagnostica, 49(2), 73–82]four open-ended questions). Higher levels of social support were correlated with fewer depressive symptoms. Multiple regression revealed tangible support from athletic sources, need for support, and tangible support from personal sources were significant predictors of depressive symptoms, (F = 23.2, p <.001). Most beneficial soources of support were teammates (n=20) and non-athletic persons (n=19). Athletes wanted more support from coached (n=72). This study offers insight into how best to provide support, which impacts performance and overall mental health.

No full-text available

Request Full-text Paper PDF

To read the full-text of this research,
you can request a copy directly from the authors.

... Additionally, research emphasizes the significance of social support for student-athletes. Notably, higher levels of social support are associated with reduced manifestations of depression (Sullivan, Moore, Blom, & Slater, 2020). ...
... A study involving Japanese university student-athletes found a positive association between receiving support and athletes' psychological well-being (Hagiwara et al., 2021). Additionally, higher levels of social support are associated with reduced manifestations of depression (Sullivan, Moore, Blom, & Slater, 2020). Furthermore, research on USA NCAA student-athletes revealed a positive correlation between social support, the quality of the relationship between the student-athlete and the coach, and psychological well-being (Simons & Bird, 2022). ...
... Psychology literature. Additionally, social support acts as a buffer against stress, enhancing RUNNING HEAD: The Moderating Effects of Social Support on Student-Athletes' Athletic Identity and Psychological Well-being 52 resilience and mitigating the negative impact of adversities on mental health, as observed in studies such as Sullivan et al. (2020). Notably, research, including studies on NCAA studentathletes (Simons & Bird, 2022), underscores the positive correlation between the quality of relationships, social support, and psychological well-being. ...
Preprint
Full-text available
Several studies have linked this pandemic to an increase in psychological problems among student-athletes and a loss of athletic identity due to the sudden cessation of sports and events. However, now that we are gradually returning to old normalcy and sporting events, primarily those initiated by the University Athletic Association of the Philippines, are no longer restricted, the researcher seeks to know if student-athletes’ athletic identity and psychological well-being are still a concern. Furthermore, this study attempted to examine whether athletic identity differs by gender and sport type, as well as whether athletic identity significantly predicts psychological well-being and whether social support moderates their relationship. A total of 154 student-athletes from a university were studied. Results showed that university athletes have high athletic identity, moderate social support, and psychological well-being levels. Furthermore, it was discovered that while athletic identity and social support are positively connected, psychological well-being is not substantially correlated with social support or athletic identity. Moderation and regression analysis also demonstrated that, while athletic identity does not directly predict psychological well-being, social support can moderate their relationship only for university student-athletes with high athletic identity. The findings emphasize the need for deeper research into the multifaceted nature of these relationships and their implications for student-athlete well-being, and additional research is strongly recommended.
... Bullying victimization is one of the most pronounced stressors during adolescence (Esposito et al., 2019) and being a victim of either traditional bullying or cyberbullying can cause substantial harm (Hansson et al., 2020;Hymel & Swearer, 2015;Östberg et al., 2018;Zaborskis et al., 2019). Recent research has documented links between bullying victimization and negative outcomes among adolescents, such as higher levels of loneliness (Cao et al., 2020;Cava et al., 2020), depression (Sullivan et al., 2020;Yen et al., 2014), anxiety (Zhang et al., 2019), and suicidality (Östberg et al., 2018;Wang et al., 2020). The characteristics of bullyingrepetition, intentionality, and an observed or perceived power imbalance in favor of the bullies (Olweus 2013)make it difficult for victims to defend themselves. ...
... The BSSS-RS encompasses multiple types and sources of social support. Originally developed in German, the BSSS-RS has been translated into English and widely used in previous studies (DiMillo et al., 2019;Sullivan et al., 2020). Schulz and Schwarzer (2003) originally proposed three dimensions representing three types of received support-emotional (six items), instrumental (three items), and informational (two items)-after removing three reverse-scored items. ...
Article
Full-text available
Although social support has been recognized as an important resource for coping with bullying, there is a lack of valid and reliable tools for assessing the social support received by victims of school bullying in China. This study aimed to translate the Actually Received Support scale from the Berlin Social Support Scales (BSSS-RS) and adapt it for the Chinese context. Three hundred and seventy-eight Chinese students (Grades 4 to 9) in Hebei Province who had experienced school bullying in the past six months were recruited. The psychometric properties of the Chinese BSSS-RS in terms of factorial validity, reliability, and convergent validity were examined from three sources (family, friend/classmate, and teacher). Confirmatory factor analyses found a better fit for the three-factor model than the one-factor and two-factor models. The three-factor model had an acceptable fit with the data on support from a family member and a friend or classmate, but not for the data on support from a teacher. Satisfactory internal consistency and test–retest reliability were found for the emotional (six items), instrumental (three items), and informational (two items) types of received support. The convergent validity of the factors was also confirmed against validating variables. The findings support the BSSS-RS as a reliable and valid measurement tool for the actual support received by bullied adolescents from a family member and friend or classmate. Future use is recommended to better understand the role of social support in the context of school bullying.
... On the other hand, collective action and social participation spawned by common interests and hobbies can strengthen the weak ties in the neighborhood, thus activating the sense of community and enhancing belongingness [44]. When people feel the growing social support in networks, the alienation and depressive symptoms will be effectively alleviated [45]. In terms of social approval, frequent neighborhood interactions indicate that an individual is accepted by others and groups within the community. ...
Article
Full-text available
The community is the primary living environment of youth groups and serves as a bridge between the individual and society. However, few studies have examined how the social environment affects mental health by influencing the social sustainability of the community. This study examines the chain mediating effects of neighbor interactions, reciprocity, and perceived work stress (i.e., social sustainability of communities) in the association of social trust (i.e., social environment) and mental health among Chinese young adults. The data came from the cross-section data from the Chinese General Social Survey (2021). Multiple linear regression models revealed that both social trust and neighbor interactions were significantly and positively related to the mental health of young adults. The structural equation model revealed that social trust had a direct effect on increasing neighbor interactions, which in turn indirectly influenced neighbor reciprocity and perceived work stress, and gradually resulted in the reduction of depressed mood. The findings indicate that neighbor interactions could be advocated and strengthened in communities. Additionally, policymakers should create a more trusting and inclusive social environment to improve the mental health of young adults.
... In addition, the CTI climates were associated with OT. These results align with AGPT and CC theoretical tenants that highlight the important role that coaches and teammates play in helping athletes feel supported, welcomed, and a valued part of the team [8,15,54] and with previous research linking social support in athletic endeavors with mental health benefits [7,25,27,28]. Overall, the results of this current study extend previous AGPT and CC research, suggesting that, when coaches and teammates offer support and make themselves available to athletes, these actions can influence perceptions of the climate, optimize athletes' experiences, and even impact mental well-being [10,11,17,18,54,55]. ...
Article
Full-text available
In the Spring of 2020, Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) was officially declared a global pandemic, which prompted an unprecedented number of changes to societal functioning. Amongst those who experienced significant life alterations were collegiate athletes within the United States (US). The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between US athletes’ perceptions of their team motivational climate, perceived support from coaches and teammates, and their optimistic thoughts during the COVID-19 pandemic. US collegiate athletes (N = 756; 56.3% female; Mage = 20.07 years, SDage = 1.57 years) across a variety of levels (e.g., Division I) and sports (e.g., basketball) were invited to participate in this study. Structural equation modeling analyses revealed significant positive associations between a caring and task-involving climate, athletes’ feeling supported by their coaches and teammates, and athletes’ optimistic thoughts during the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, an ego-involving climate was significantly negatively associated with athletes’ feeling supported by their coaches and teammates. The final results suggest that the supportive actions of coaches and teammates during difficult times can mediate the positive connection between perceptions of a caring-task-involving climate on athletic teams and an athlete’s ability to stay optimistic during difficult life stressors.
... In this regard,Alexander et al. (2023) shed light on the negative impact of a controlling and abusive coaching climate on DC athletes' mental health, whereasSaxe et al. (2022) conducted a comprehensive ecological examination of the environment, highlighting the significant influence of the coach's behavior, relationships, and climate on athlete mental health, both positively and negatively. While these studies were exploratory, there are multiple studies concurring with their implications in the North American system, such as the positive effects of functional motivational climate (e.g.,Habeeb et al., 2023;Hwang & Choi, 2016;Mellano et al., 2022), better coach-athlete relationships (e.g.,Simons & Bird, 2023;Yukhymenko-Lescroart et al., 2022), and social support (e.g.,Simons & Bird, 2023;Sullivan et al., 2020) on mental health. These factors are either coach-or family-related, meaning they are present across contexts at the microlevel, and it seems that their influence is similar across the contexts as well.Therefore, our results seem to demonstrate a transversal importance of these factors in DC athletes' mental health across contexts. ...
Article
Full-text available
Dual careers (DCs) are challenging trajectories followed by athletes willing to develop their academic/professional career with their athletic careers. These trajectories usually entail additional stressors, which can decrease athletes' mental health or even increase their risk of mental ill‐health. While existing research has recognized the importance of psychological and social factors in both of these areas separately, we lack systematic knowledge on which factors are associated with European DC athlete mental health outcomes, making evidence‐based practice more challenging. In this regard, to advance the European DC tradition and to provide a strong base for researchers and practitioners working within this field, this systematic review aims to appraise this evidence identifying and categorizing the psychological and social factors associated with the European DC athletes' mental health. We conducted this review according to Preferred Reporting for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analysis guidelines and performed the systematic search in six databases, finding 56 eligible articles. Our analysis identified 35 different psychological and social factors, most showing significant associations with athletes' mental health. Notably, affect, stress, motivational climate, mindfulness, resilience, perfectionism, goal orientation, motivation, and basic psychological need satisfaction showed the strongest evidence associated with mental health. Overall, this review provides a comprehensive synthesis of psychological and social factors, advancing the holistic ecological approach in dual careers and athlete mental health. Yet, our results highlight the need to strengthen the evidence regarding these factors and provide specific research avenues, such as focus on DC‐specific factors and consideration of DC athlete definition and career trajectories.
... Furthermore, an additional contextual factor found to contribute to collegiate athlete success is perceived social support (e.g., Comeaux & Harrison, 2011;Freeman et al., 2011;Gabana et al., 2017). Social support is critical for collegiate athletes since it is linked to increased psychological wellbeing and lowering burnout (Sullivan et al., 2020;DeFreese & Smith, 2014) which may impact anxiety and sport commitment. Given these contextual factors, we chose to focus our study on collegiate athletes enrolled in postsecondary and assess the role of perceived social support within our study objectives. ...
Article
Full-text available
Control beliefs are adaptive for athletes coping with significant obstacles to sport. Our study tested whether the effects of setback-related primary (PC) and secondary control (SC) on adaptive sport-related outcomes were mediated via setback rumination in collegiate athletes. We recruited 200 collegiate athletes using Prolific, from both Canada and the United States of America ( M age = 22.3 years; 125 women, 69 men, five nonbinary individuals, and one nonresponse). We used structural equation modelling to test direct paths from Time 1 PC and SC and rumination to Time 2 competition anxiety and sport commitment and test indirect paths of PC and SC to the outcomes through rumination. Findings revealed PC directly increased sport commitment, and through higher rumination, PC predicted higher competition anxiety. Athletes’ SC predicted lower competition anxiety via lower rumination. We discuss the implications of these findings for athletes managing significant sport setbacks and for sport personnel supporting athletes.
... This finding suggests that, while following a dual career can be demanding yet potentially conductive to better mental health, the addition of a third life sphere appears to mean an unattainable level of demands that might compromise athletes' mental health. This finding aligns with prior research indicating that athletes may be at a higher risk of mental health problems when confronting multifaceted demands (e.g., Kegelaers et al., 2022;McGuire et al., 2017;Sullivan et al., 2020), especially when they have not the required competences to develop the selected career path (De Brandt et al., 2018). Consequently, the group prioritising a triple career faces the potential risk of disrupting the conventional notion of an optimal balance between sport and other life spheres as DC research has traditionally suggested (e.g., Stambulova & Wylleman, 2015). ...
... In an attempt to address these issues, mental health and support services have been frequently implemented for university athletes; yet, their effectiveness has been debated (75). Emerging evidence suggests that from a mental health perspective, 1 benefit of the university sport setting is the teamorientated social support network that supports enhanced athlete mental health (95). Importantly, sport injuries often lead to athletes feeling isolated from this critical social support network because of a reduction in team engagement through absence from activities such as practices, games, and travel (10,93). ...
Article
McClean, ZJ, Pasanen, K, Lun, V, Charest, J, Herzog, W, Werthner, P, Black, A, Vleuten, RV, Lacoste, E, and Jordan, MJ. A biopsychosocial model for understanding training load, fatigue, and musculoskeletal sport injury in university athletes: A scoping review. J Strength Cond Res 38(6): 1177–1188, 2024—The impact of musculoskeletal (MSK) injury on athlete health and performance has been studied extensively in youth sport and elite sport. Current research examining the relationship between training load, injury, and fatigue in university athletes is sparse. Furthermore, a range of contextual factors that influence the training load-fatigue-injury relationship exist, necessitating an integrative biopsychosocial model to address primary and secondary injury prevention research. The objectives of this review were (a) to review the scientific literature examining the relationship between training load, fatigue, and MSK injury in university athletes and (b) to use this review in conjunction with a transdisciplinary research team to identify biopsychosocial factors that influence MSK injury and develop an updated, holistic biopsychosocial model to inform injury prevention research and practice in university sport. Ten articles were identified for inclusion in this review. Key findings were an absence of injury surveillance methodology and contextual factors that can influence the training load-fatigue-MSK injury relationship. We highlight the inclusion of academic load, social load, and mental health load as key variables contributing to a multifactorial, gendered environmental, scientific inquiry on sport injury and reinjury in university sport. An integrative biopsychosocial model for MSK injury in university sport is presented that can be used to study the biological, psychological, and social factors that modulate injury and reinjury risk in university athletes. Finally, we provide an example of how causal inference can be used to maximize the utility of longitudinally collected observational data that is characteristic of sport performance research in university sport.
... We assume that this is due to the operationalization of social support. Most studies finding the positive effects of social support on mental health outcomes have operationalized social support as perceived (e.g., Sullivan et al., 2020), in contrast to the present study, where social support has been operationalized as received. Studies have reported perceived social support to be a stable rather than a modifiable characteristic and as independent of the behavior of a particular network member (e.g., Newcomb, 1990;Sarason et al., 1987). ...
... ej., educativo, psicológico, social, financiero y legal; Wylleman et al., 2020). Por lo tanto, aunque hemos expuesto que el hecho de complementar deporte y estudios tiene beneficios, la compaginación y las exigencias de las distintas esferas vitales de un futbolista comportan una serie de demandas (Sullivan et al., 2020) que pueden llegar a incrementar la posibilidad de que presente problemas de SM y acabe abandonando el deporte o los estudios antes de tiempo (NCAA Sport Science Institute, 2016). ...
Article
Full-text available
The aim of this phenomenological and instrumental case study was to explore the combination of high-performance football and higher education at senior level. In order to go deeper into this topic, which is part of the research on dual careers, semistructured interviews were conducted with 7 male student-football players between 18 and 19 years of age from the lower categories of a Primera División (Spanish Premier League) club. The data have been analysed using reflexive thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2022). The results showed that student-football players can pursue a higher dual career: (a) if they identify the challenges they have to face and have the necessary skills and resources; (b) if the people around them accompany them in a way that suits their lifestyle; and (c) if the club promotes a culture that fosters a higher dual career and their mental health. The study also highlights some aspects not foreseen in the sample studied that should be incorporated into the implementation of the dual higher education career, such as a more individualised and flexible approach to cases, adapting each case to the specific circumstances.
... Third, prior health data, as well as MHP usage and injury prevalence, outside the twoyear time frame of analysis were not included in the present study. Relatedly, information about usage of MHP services outside of the institutional and/or athletic setting were also not available in the dataset, even though such visits would likely bolster mental health support being received on site (Sullivan et al., 2020). Lastly, specific mental health diagnoses or treatment delivered were not included in the EMR and therefore could not be accounted for in these analyses. ...
Article
Each year, significant resources and effort are devoted to protecting the health of the player and ameliorating the time and financial costs associated with injuries and rehabilitation. However, few studies have investigated the use of mental health services with injuries among the same collegiate athletes over time. This study aimed to investigate injury prevalence rates and injuries incidences in collegiate athletes as a function of mental health service utilization. Results suggest that psychological stress may be one of the key vulnerabilities for injury or reinjury in athlete populations. Athletes visiting a mental health professional were twice as likely to have also sustained a sport-related or non-sport-related injury and approximately 1.5 times as likely to sustain multiple injuries compared to their peers. Injury risk and recovery outcomes can likely be bolstered by making mental health professionals more available to student athletes and integrating psychological services into normal athletic training activities. ARTICLE HISTORY
... To be sure, an attitude of mental toughness can be maintained despite the presentation of mental illness. However, it is important to have a support system in place, consisting of coaches, teammates, and family members to provide encouragement and support during difficult times (Sullivan et al., 2020). Ultimately, maintaining an attitude of mental toughness requires a balance of challenge and self-care. ...
Article
Full-text available
In recent years, the landscape of college athletics has become increasingly more competitive. This exacts a greater commitment and dedication from athletes. This dedication and commitment to a given sport(s) is often inextricably linked to mental toughness. However, within this phenomenon of commitment and dedication may lie risk for mental health challenges. That is, while mental toughness is generally seen as a positive trait that may help individuals cope with stress and adversity, there is some evidence to suggest that heavy reliance on mental toughness may increase the risk of developing a mental illness over time (Grobler, du Plooy, Kruger, & Ellis, 2022). The current discussion utilizes the Sport Ethic Model developed by Hughes and Coakley (1991) to explore the sometimes-tedious differentiation between mental toughness for high level competitive athletics and mental illness among college / university student-athletes. Practice implications for sports social workers are also discussed.
... 11 19 43 51 53-59 Depression symptoms decreased with diverse reports of support including increased social connection, 11 satisfaction with social support received 55 including one study focused on satisfaction of social support received by athletic trainers, 57 social support from family and friends, 59 positive teammate social interactions and greater perceived support, 43 stronger coach-athlete relationships 54 and perceived tangible support from personal and athletic sources. 56 One study differentiated receiving and providing social support reporting both were associated with decreased depression among female student-athletes. 53 Another study differentiated between social support from family or friends, finding in both cases inverse relationships between receiving social support and depression and perceived stress. ...
Article
Full-text available
Objective To identify, quantify and analyse determinants of depression, anxiety and stress symptoms among female student-athletes. Design Systematic review and meta-analysis. Data sources Five online databases (PubMed, CINAHL, PsychInfo, SportDiscus and Web of Science) searched from inception through 14 September 2023. Hand-searches and contacting authors for eligible studies. Eligibility criteria for selecting studies Articles were included if they were published in English, included female student-athletes competing at National Collegiate Athletic Association institutions, and measured symptom-level depression, anxiety and/or stress. Results and summary We screened 2415 articles; 52 studies (N=13 849) were included in the systematic review with 13 studies qualifying for meta-analysis. Seventeen determinants were identified including injury (eg, concussions), health (eg, sleep hygiene) and social factors (eg, social support). As data specific to female student-athletes was delineated from studies that included other populations, we observed 16 studies (30.7%) reported that identifying as female was a meaningful determinant of depression, anxiety and stress in athletes. Results of the meta-analysis ( k =13, N=5004) suggested a small but significant association ( r =0.15, 95% CI 0.05 to 0.24, p=0.004) between other determinants and depression, anxiety, and stress among female student-athletes. Conclusion Coaches, trainers and clinicians are key contributors in supporting female student-athlete mental health, with responsibilities for integrating mental skill training, sleep hygiene education and regular assessments. Comprehensive mental health and tailored education programmes considering determinants such as injury, health and social factors specific to female student-athletes are needed to enhance mental health equity in sport. PROSPERO registration number CRD42022362163.
... Within the present study stress levels were high in athletes, scoring an average 32.39 score out of a possible 40 points. On a general note, female collegiate athletes across different sports are reported to experience high levels of perceived stress, depressive symptoms, and low levels of quality of life (Sullivan et al., 2020;Vannuccini et al., 2020). Further research could investigate stress, its antecedents, precursors, as well as prevention and management strategies. ...
Article
Full-text available
Athletic identity (AI) can be defined as how an individual perceives themselves as an athlete. Although there are many resources for athletes when it comes to physical health, resources for mental health and balancing their AI with everyday life is sorely lacking. As a result, an athlete’s level of stress both inside and outside of their athletic career may increase. Stress that is related to high levels of AI can bring forth negative consequences, such as decreased concentration, focus, and poor academic performance, especially in the case of the student-athlete. The purpose of this study was to investigate stress in relation to AI in a Division II female softball team. Softball players (n = 27) completed the Athletic Identity Measurement Scale (AIMS) and Perceived Stress Scale (PSS). The mean PSS score was 32.39 out of a 40-point scale. The AIMS mean only showed a moderate level of AI (45.61 of 70-point scale). Pearson correlational analysis demonstrated that only a minor association existed between AI and perceived stress, but this correlation was not statistically significant (r = .36, p = .093). Results and implications from this study are discussed as to optimize student-athletes’ mental well-being.
... This assistance can be in the form of tangible resources, such as material aid, or intangible forms, such as informational support through advice and feedback, or emotional sustenance through care and acceptance [11][12][13]. Athletes heavily rely on the presence and support of various social entities, including coaches, teammates, and family and friends, who play pivotal roles in their athletic endeavours. ...
Article
Full-text available
The objective of this study is to utilize the Self-Determination Theory (SDT) in order to assess the various factors that influence sports performance (SPP) in football athletes. The present study aimed to evaluate the influence of athletes' coping with adversity (CA), confidence (CNF), concentration (CON), and goal setting (GS) on sports performance while also taking into account the potential mediatin g effect of athletes' psychological well-being (APB). It was hypothesized that social support (SS) would act as a moderator in the relationship between the independent variables and the mediator. The study utilized a quantitative methodology, specifically employing a survey qu estionnaire to gather data. The participants of the study were football athletes at the club level in Saudi Arabia, with a total sample size of 350 individuals. The findings confirmed the beneficial influence of computer-assisted instruction (CA) on student performance in the subject of standardized proficiency testing (SPP). Similarly, an elevated level of cognitive need for fulfilment (CNF) and confidence (CON) in athletes results in a heightened state of self-perceived potential (SPP). The study revealed that GS also had an effect on SPP. The results indicate that APB played a significant mediating role in the positive association between CA and SPP, CNF and SPP, as well as CON and SPP. The statistical analysis revealed that the presence of a moderating effect of SS was found to be significant solely in the relationship between GS and SPP. This study has sought to address the dearth of empirical evidence pertaining to mental well-being and its antecedents in relation to sports performance within the context of Saudi Arabia. Furthermore, this study contributes original insights by employing Sel f-Determination Theory (SDT) within the context of sports. Therefore, this study possesses significant theoretical and practical significance. Al-Doghan M A and AL-ameryeen M F I/ Arch Clin Psychiatry. 2023;50(3):261-273.
... In the sport context, several studies have explicitly investigated social support, with a majority of those studies investigating collegiate athlete perceptions of general support. For example, multiple studies have demonstrated that high levels of perceived social support from teammates, coaches, athletics department staff, family, and friends have positive impacts on mental health and well-being as well as were related to lower levels of burnout (Cho et al., 2020;DeFreese & Smith, 2013Gabana et al., 2017;Hagiwara et al., 2017;Sullivan et al., 2020). Further, higher levels of perceived social support from strength and conditioning coaches, athletic trainers, coaches, and teammates were recognized by athletes as having a large impact on their recovery, value of rehabilitation, feelings of well-being, and overall satisfaction (Barefield & McCallister, 1997;Bone & Fry, 2006;Corbillon et al., 2008;Judge et al., 2012;Lu & Hsu, 2013). ...
Article
Full-text available
Recently, collegiate athletes have used their platform to promote positive social change. Some possibilities for the increase of activism is athletes’ perceptions of societal issues and support from key social agents. However, these perceptions have been largely unexplored. The current study aimed to address those gaps by investigating collegiate athletes’ perceptions and investigating if various demographic characteristics influence the likelihood of activism engagement. Participants (n = 4,473) completed self-report scales on social justice causes and perceived support. For this sample, athletes who identified as male, Black, and More than One Race engaged in activism at a higher rate than expected and a majority of participants viewed all social issues as social justice causes. In terms of support, athletes viewed higher levels of general support than instrumental support and approval for engaging in activism and rated parents, friends, and teammates as most supportive in all three support categories. Activists, compared to non-activists, were more likely to view social issues as social justice related and rated most social agents as more approving of their own activism. Findings indicate that perceptions of social issues and support from social agents, especially non-sport social agents, might be one reason for collegiate athletes’ participation in activism.
... Furthermore, failure or low performance experiences in the workplace, school, and interpersonal relationships facilitate dysfunctional belief; meanwhile, increased emotional impairment has been cited as one of the mechanisms of ADHD tendencies that induce psychological problems (Ramsay & Rostain, 2007;Safren et al., 2005). As university athletes participate in activities that require belonging to a team and experiencing social interaction, these athletes may experience interpersonal problems with teammates, which may lead to poor social support and psychological distress (Sullivan, Moore, Blom, & Slater, 2020;Wolanin et al., 2015;Wolanin, et al., 2016). If this is the case, it is expected that ADHD tendencies will trigger problems associated with psychological distress, such as athletes performance and interpersonal relationships among teams, regardless of gender. ...
Article
This study compared the ratio of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) tendencies and psychological distress in university athletes and general university students to clarify the relationship between ADHD tendencies, injury history, and psychological distress among university athletes. I used a cross-sectional research design and conducted an online survey with university athletes (n=150) and general university students (n=150) recruited through an online research company. The results showed no significant differences in high ADHD tendencies or increased psychological distress between the two groups. Moreover, regression analysis indicated a significant correlation between the interaction terms of athletes’ ADHD tendencies and gender for previous sports injury experiences. Furthermore, injury experiences were notably higher in male athletes with high ADHD tendencies. In addition, ADHD tendencies were directly related to university athletes’ psychological distress levels. These findings suggest the need for support to reduce injuries and psychological distress of athletes with ADHD tendencies.
... As part of the response to injury, many athletes face mental health problems such as depression during their rehabilitation (Petrie & Perna, 2004). The experience of poor mental health typically occurs within the context of drastic changes that commonly occur during the rehabilitation phase, including a reduction of social support (Sullivan et al., 2020) and an increase in stress levels (Podlog et al., 2011). In addition to the common symptoms of depression, such as sleeping difficulties, loss of appetite, lack of energy, and anhedonia (Jokela et al., 2016), experiencing depression is also a specific risk factor for rehabilitation non-compliance (DiMatteo et al., 2000). ...
Article
In the athletic population, sports injuries are often associated with mental health decline. Despite the availability of services, athletes frequently do not seek help for mental health problems. A range of barriers to help-seeking in athletes have been proposed, including poor mental health literacy and limited help-seeking knowledge. To address this, the current study piloted a newly designed online intervention that aimed to increase help-seeking attitudes, intentions, and mental health literacy (specifically depression literacy) in an athletic population. Using a pre-test post-test design, a total of 207 athletes were recruited using online convenience sampling from across Australia. Athletes were from a range of sports and competition levels and were provided a brief online intervention comprising three short educational videos with content addressing: (1) the athlete’s response to injury; (2) help-seeking and social support; and (3) signs/symptoms of depression. Participants completed pre- and post-intervention surveys which measured attitudes and intentions towards mental health help-seeking, and depression literacy. Data were analysed using RM-MANOVA, which demonstrated significant within-group improvement from pre-to post-intervention for help-seeking intentions, particularly when seeking help from mental health professionals, F(1, 93) = 24.64, p < .001, and online/phone services, F(1, 93) = 29.75, p < .001. Two separate paired samples t-test demonstrated a significant increase from pre-to post-intervention for both help-seeking attitudes, t(206) = 9.04, p < .001, d = 0.628, and depression literacy, t(203) = 8.66, p < .001, d = 0.606. The current study shows promise for brief video-based interventions that provide information targeting help-seeking during times of injury. However, further research using a rigorous randomised controlled trial design is needed. Additionally, more work is required to explore if an improvement in attitudes or intentions corresponds with increased help-seeking behaviour.
... Many factors such as self-esteem, self-concept, self-efficacy, and others affect achievement motivation, but the most important is social support (Chang et al., 2018). The various types of social support received are very beneficial for athletes (Sullivan et al., 2020); (Fogaca, 2021). Social support is a feeling of pleasure, appreciation of care, or assistance obtained by individuals from other people, where other people here can be interpreted as individuals or groups. ...
Article
Full-text available
Social support is one of the factors that influence achievement motivation. Social support received can make individuals feel calm, cared for, self-confident, and competent. This study aims to determine the effect of social support on achievement motivation in athletic athletes. The type of research is ex post facto. The population is the athletics athletes of the Glagah Wangi Demak athletic club totaling 37 athletes with an age range of 14-19 years. The instrument in this research is a questionnaire. Data analysis using a simple regression test. The results showed that there was a significant effect of social support on the achievement motivation of athletic athletes. The contribution of social support to achievement motivation in athletic athletes is 27.90%. The better the athlete's social support, the higher the achievement motivation. It is hoped that people around athletes, such as parents, coaches, and friends, will provide the support that can help athletes so that they have a positive impact on their achievements. Athletes must maintain and develop enthusiasm while undergoing the best possible training program. Parents always encourage their children and provide good infrastructure to support children's achievements.
... Furthermore, difficult doctor-patient relationships during an internship further deepen the negative development of medical students' empathy and subclinical depressive symptoms [10]. This finding demonstrates that empathy, among other factors, may be an important cause of subclinical depressive symptoms [48]. In our research, medical students with low empathy (especially cognitive empathy) were our focus group and are prone to subclinical depressive symptoms both in medical school and in clinical practice. ...
Article
Full-text available
Background Medical students in China who face the dual pressure of study and employment tend to experience subclinical depressive symptoms. Parental care plays an important direct and indirect role in the psychological development of medical students, and the extent and mechanism of this role urgently need to be studied and discussed. Methods After simple random sampling and screening of valid questionnaires, data from a total of 924 people were used. The participants completed the parental bonding instrument, self-rating depression scale, Chinese version of the Jefferson empathy scale-medical student edition and self-rating anxiety scale to evaluate parental care, empathy, depressive symptoms and anxiety. The data were statistically processed using a descriptive analysis, correlation analysis and test of moderated mediation. Results Maternal care had a significant negative predictive effect on depressive symptoms among medical students. Strong maternal care can reduce the occurrence of depressive symptoms in medical students. Empathy played a positive mediating role such that both types of empathy could alleviate the effect of weak maternal care on the depressive symptoms of medical students. However, neither cognitive empathy nor affective empathy played a mediating role in the relationship between paternal care and depressive symptoms. Nevertheless, the relationship between maternal care and empathy was moderated by the medical students’ gender. Conclusions The effect of this relationship on female medical students deserves special attention. The results of this study provide a reference and basis for the adjustment of medical education. This study could also help in the design of effective psychological intervention measures to reduce the degree of depressive symptoms and enhance personal empathy.
... Recent research has also investigated the link between social support and symptoms of depression. Sullivan et al. (2020) examined the relationships between social support and depressive symptoms in 238 NCAA Division I collegiate athletes. Their results showed weak, negative relationships between all types of social support and depression, as levels of social support decreased the frequency of reported depressive symptoms increased. ...
Article
Full-text available
The coach-athlete relationship and social support are stressors that impact athletes’ well-being, however, most research in this area focusses on the relationship between these variables and burnout. Researchers have shown differences in stressors experienced between sport types (individual and team) where evidence suggests individual sport athletes report higher mental health concerns compared to those in team sports. This study aimed to understand the relationships between the coach-athlete relationship, social support, and psychological well-being among collegiate athletes, and the impact of sport type on these variables. A total of 153 National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I student-athletes completed coach-athlete relationship, social support, and well-being measures online. Results indicate the coach-athlete relationship and social support were both positively correlated with well-being, but there were no significant differences between sport type on any outcome variables. Findings from this study may influence future coaching practices and support networks, thus positively impacting student athletes’ well-being.
... Participants emphasized how these support system dynamics truly helped them get through the pandemic. Similarly, collegiate student-athletes have demonstrated that higher levels of social support is correlated with fewer depressive symptoms [35], which is the likely reason that our participants felt this way. Most of these findings emphasized social support through teammates and friends, but school personnel can also provide necessary support. ...
Article
Full-text available
Context The COVID-19 pandemic led to an abrupt disruption in access to services and personnel for collegiate student-athletes in the spring and summer of 2020. We sought to identify the effects of this unprecedented change by examining the psychological well-being, changes to normal routines, and return-to-play considerations of current student-athletes in order to guide support for both current and future student-athletes who may face similar situations. Methods We utilized a phenomenological approach to interview a purposeful sample of eighteen collegiate student-athletes (7 males, 11 females; mean age = 20 years) from across the United States. The participants were interviewed using a semi-structured interview protocol, which was audio recorded and transcribed verbatim using Zoom. The data were then analyzed and coded by a 3-person team via the consensual qualitative research tradition. Results Four domains emerged after data analysis: 1) ambiguity, 2) perspective, 3) bonding and cohesion, and 4) resource utilization. Participants discussed ambiguity in terms of eligibility and participation questions, academic changes, and varying COVID-19 policies. Participants shared a wide range of perspectives, from apprehension at the onset of the pandemic, to excitement when returning to campus and competition. They shared how bonding and team development were affected due to a lack of socialization and that support system dynamics between family, coaches, and teammates were strengthened. When describing resource utilization, participants discussed the use of personnel and supplies to help them adjust to changes in facility and space availability. The identification and utilization of resources enabled them to establish a “new normal” for their academics, workouts, and hobbies during the pandemic. Conclusions Collegiate student-athletes realized the seriousness of the pandemic and utilized their resources and support systems to adjust their routines and keep a positive attitude during COVID-19. At the same time, some student-athletes struggled with these changes. Personnel should be aware of these effects to provide care and prevent future negative effects.
... By spending time and participating in activities together, student-athletes have the opportunity to develop meaningful relationships (Lopez-Felip et al., 2018). Student-athletes rely on these relationships for emotional support, which was made harder with social distancing and other public health guidelines (Sullivan et al., 2020). ...
Article
The dual pandemic of 2020 – COVID-19 and systemic racism – continues to reshape society. The current study examines how this dual pandemic contributes to the psychological distress of college student-athletes, with attention to college student-athletes who identify as Black, Indigenous, or people of color (BIPOC). A total of 222 student-athletes from nine universities completed the online survey. Student-athletes reported COVID-19 had a moderate impact on daily life. The direct effect of COVID-19 on psychological distress was found to be positive and significant but did not differ for BIPOC and White participants. Additionally, nearly all BIPOC student-athletes reported experiencing systemic racism; yet the level of systemic racism did not predict psychological distress. Findings provide insight related to the importance of mental health among college student-athletes.
... The details about social support moderation are provided in Table 6. The study results are in tandem with the recent researches conducted with other social support constructs in the different higher education contexts (Alsubaie et al., 2019;Bukhari & Afzal, 2017;Bye et al., 2020;Dafaalla et al., 2016;Jiang et al., 2015;Sullivan et al., 2020). ...
Article
The study examines the linkages between anxiety, social support, and commitment of the students towards the tourism and hospitality career inter alia the moderating influence of social support between career anxiety and career commitment. The data was collected from 472 tourism and hospitality students and the findings depicted that a few of the elements of career anxiety (irrational beliefs about employment and employment environment) have a significant negative association with students’ commitment. The moderating influence of social support revealed the negative relationship between anxiety and commitment was only considerable among students with low or no social support.
... Significant others are also salient influences on retiring student-athletes' experiences. Social support is an important resource for combatting the physical and mental obstacles confronted in daily life (Sullivan et al. 2020;Graupensperger et al. 2020;Knights et al. 2019). Retirement implies a change to one's social support network, a stressor in and of itself. ...
Article
At the height of research on concussions and trauma, this study aims to explore other avenues of student-athlete health by taking a narrative perspective pre- and post-play to question one’s individual sense of wellbeing. Using phenomenological investigation and an exploratory approach, this study delves deeper into the transition of student-athletes into retirement by creating a “life world” narrative. Findings from “Retirement Sucks: Translating the Division 1 Student-Athlete Experience of Retirement” were used to conduct one-on-one interviews with eight participants (three current, five retired). An open-coding method and qualitative phenomenological analysis revealed five themes that collectively explore the phenomena of transition into retirement: 1) retirement as an event; 2) time as a factor; 3) athletic identity; 4) “others” playing a role; and 5) cognitive appraisals. While these findings provide new insights, further research is needed to determine common connections between transition experiences and to identify tools and intersectional skills to help student-athletes prepare for and cope with post-play life across their entire lifespan after retirement.
Article
Prevalence of mental health (MH) concerns among young adults is high and continues to increase. As a specific subset of young adults, National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) athletes seem to experience these concerns at a similar or greater prevalence rate than their nonathlete, age-matched peers. Yet, how MH affects sport performance has not been robustly studied, and existing studies have not included the diversity of identities present in the collegiate athlete population. Thus, via online survey, this study explored the beliefs of 249 collegiate athletes representing diverse identities and sports regarding how MH affects sport performance. Regardless of demographic variable, 96.4%–100.0% of participants believed that MH affects sport performance. Three themes were identified: (a) collegiate athletes affirm that MH affects sport performance, (b) collegiate athletes’ perceptions of how MH affects sport performance, and (c) collegiate athletes believe that being a collegiate athlete exacerbates their MH concerns. The universality of endorsement and the themes represent novel findings that warrant further exploration of the MH–sport performance connection.
Article
Full-text available
Covid-19 salgın sürecinde acil uzaktan eğitime geçiş ile birlikte eğitim ortamları yeniden şekillendi. Çift kariyerli olarak nitelenen hem sporcu hem de öğrenci olan bireyler, uzaktan eğitim sürecinde okul ortamını çevrimiçi olarak yaşamak durumunda kalırken spor ortamını da covid-19 virüsü gölgesinde sürdürmek zorunda kaldılar. Bu çalışmanın amacı; Türkiye’de 1. Lig seviyesinde basketbol oynayan öğrencilerin yaşadığı kimlik krizini incelemektir. Bireylerin belirli bir kavramla ilgili anlayışlarını, duygularını, bakış açıları ve algılarını anlamak ve deneyimlediklerini tanımlamak üzere nitel araştırma yöntemlerinden fenomenolojik araştırma deseni kullanılmıştır. Türkiye 1. Basketbol liginde sporcu olup aynı zamanda üniversite eğitimini sürdüren altı sporcu öğrenci ile görüşmeler yoluyla veriler toplanmıştır. Tematik içerik analizi kullanılarak bulgular elde edilmiştir. Basketbolcu sporcu öğrencilerin deneyimlediği kimlik krizi toplam üç tema altında sıralanmıştır: Çevrimiçi Eğitimin Rolü (1), Çift kariyeri yürütme zorluğu (2) ve Psikolojik zindelik(3). Sporcu öğrenciliğin getirdiği kimlik karmaşasının covid-19 salgını nedeniyle daha da derinleştiği, katılımcıların okul-kulüp ikilemi arasında hayatta kalmaya çalışırken çevrimiçi eğitimin niteliği ve bu süreçte yaşanılan psikolojik ve sosyal deneyimler çalışmanın odak noktası olmuştur. Çift kariyerli bireyler alan yazınına farklı bir boyutla bakmak ilerideki araştırmalara ışık tutacaktır.
Conference Paper
Full-text available
Coronavirus is a new virus that was first identified in Wuhan, China. It is called COVID- 19. Older versions of the virus, such as SARS, also became somewhat prevalent in China and other countries, including Iran. The corona virus is now infecting millions of people around the world. On the other hand, fear of this virus has caused many people to stay at home and quarantine themselves. The reason for the spread of the corona virus. The aim of the present study is to investigate the relationship between physical activity and the progression of coronavirus.
Article
To optimise the performance and health of elite athletes, there has been an increase in the development of athlete monitoring systems to measure if athletes perceive themselves to be adequately recovered. While these monitoring systems have been instrumental in describing athlete recovery states, little research has been conducted to establish why and how athletes engage in recovery behaviours or to identify barriers that prevent athletes from initiating the recovery process. As such, the purpose of the current study was to develop and evaluate the psychometric properties of an assessment that will allow practitioners and researchers to measure and monitor the recovery activities an athlete engages in to enhance performance and health. This purpose was achieved through two studies. In Study 1, physical, psychological, and social recovery activity items were generated and content evaluated first by experts (N = 3) and second by elite athletes (N = 8). Results of Study 1 yielded the retention of 71 items. In Study 2, the recovery activity items were distributed to elite athletes (N = 265) and the factor structure, convergent validity, and reliability were tested. Results of Study 2 revealed a 56-item, 10-factor model with support for convergent validity and reliability. Overall, the Assessment of Recovery Activities for Athletes (ARAA) provides practitioners and researchers with a valid and reliable instrument from which to monitor recovery activities engaged in by elite athletes.
Article
Full-text available
Background and Aims Today, after a long period of school closures and sporting events, we will face the post-corona era and the reopening of schools. Because gait imbalance and general weakness are symptoms of corona disease, for people who have recovered, re-exercise, and basic skills such as walking, balance, and accuracy, especially after fatigue, compared to healthy individuals, can be a challenge. This study aimed to investigate the effect of fatigue on kinematic characteristics during gait, balance, and accuracy of football shots in high school boys of Kahnooj nomads with a history of corona virus. Methods The present study, in terms of implementation, is in the category of quasi-experimental research, in terms of purpose is in the category of practical, and in terms of time is in the category of future research. A statistical sample was selected from the students of nomadic schools in Kahnooj City, of which 15 were in the healthy group, and 15 were in the group with coronary heart disease. First, the selected kinematic gait parameters, balance, and shot accuracy were measured by an iPhone cellphone camera. Then, the chosen parameters were immediately re-measured by applying fatigue by the non-functional fatigue protocol of the step. To calculate the balance and gait parameters, the rise and fall test, and the shot’s accuracy, the Moore-Christine test was used, and the Kinova program measured the data. Independent t-test, paired t-test, and Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney t-test were used to analyze the research data at a significant level (α=0.05) in SPSS v. 22 software. Results The results of the present study showed that fatigue had no significant effect on stride length, dynamic balance, and shooting accuracy of healthy students (P>0.05) and caused a decrease in maximal knee flexion in both groups (P=0.005), but fatigue has been able to significantly reduce, step length (P=0.001), dynamic balance (P=0.001) and football shot accuracy (P=0.001) in students with coronavirus compared to healthy students (P<0.05). Conclusion According to the results of the present study, fatigue after corona disease and its recovery can cause pronounced reduction changes in the length of step, dynamic balance, and especially the accuracy of football shots compared to healthy students and people who were recovering from corona disease when they return to training and competitions must take these changes into account.
Article
Context: Collegiate student-athletes (SAs) experience psychological stressors due to rigid schedules, team conflict, and injury. These factors can result in symptoms of mental health conditions, decreased daily functioning, and suicidality. Objective: To explore NCAA Division 1 SAs experiences with mental health, access to and experience with mental health resources at their university. Design: Consensual qualitative research. Setting: One-on-one interview. Patient or other participants: 23 NCAA Division 1 SAs (18 females, 5 males; mean age=20+2 years). Main outcome measures: The participants completed a semi-structured interview that focused on their experiences with mental health. The interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim via Zoom. Credibility and trustworthiness were established via member checking, triangulation, and peer discussion among a 3-person coding team. Results: Two domains: "increased expectations" and "resources and management" were identified. The participants shared balancing life as a college student, academic stressors, performance expectations, and a sport-first mindset they perceived from coaches and support staff. The participants discussed their experience with internal support network of coaches, the athletic department, and sport psychology. Participants remarked on their external support network, which included their family, friends, and psychology services. The resources available at their institutions and the accessibility were perceived both positively and negatively. Collegiate SAs described resources to be helpful, whereas other participants described a lack of timeliness for appointments, lack of advertisement, incomprehension of counselors to athlete demands, and no sport-specific counseling as barriers. Conclusion: Collegiate SAs expressed mental health concerns due to stress and demands of sports participation. Self-regulated coping strategies and support networks continue to be powerful and helpful resources to one's mental health with or without a diagnosed condition. Barriers to mental health service utilization was it not being sport-specific or accessible. Institutions need to focus on creating athlete-centered mental health resources with annual advertisements to increase utilization.
The purpose of this study was to provide a systematic scoping review of the research focussing on student-athletes' mental health (MH). More specifically, we aimed to describe and synthesise: (a) the study and sample characteristics of the dual career (DC) and MH research literature, (b) the types of MH outcomes examined in student-athlete populations, (c) comparisons of student-athletes' MH in relation to other populations of interest, and (d) the variables associated with student-athletes' MH. Articles were collected from four databases: SPORTDiscus, PsycInfo, Scopus, and PubMed. In total, 159 studies spanning three decades met the inclusion criteria. Most studies were conducted within the North American collegiate context. The majority (62.5%) examined mental ill-health outcomes (e.g., disordered eating, depression, anxiety), 22.6% examined positive mental health outcomes (e.g., subjective well-being, psychological well-being), and 13.8% combined both perspectives. Most studies using non-student-athlete comparison groups found that student-athletes were at a similar or decreased risk for MH problems, although notable exceptions were identified. Finally, 49 distinct variables were associated with student-athletes' MH. Most variables related to generic or sport-specific factors, with only a limited number of studies examining DC-specific factors. Findings from our scoping review are critically discussed in view of the existing literature.
Article
Collegiate athletes have demonstrated a need for social support to help cope with their daily responsibilities. The purpose of this research was to explore National Collegiate Athletic Association Division II athletes’ perception of social support from friends, teammates, family, coaches, significant others, and athletic trainers following injury, illness, or other identified life stressors. There were 546 participants who completed a five-part survey using the University Stress Scale, the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, the Athletic Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, the Perceived Stress Scale, and a demographic section. Of the participants, 352 (64.5%) stated that they experienced moderate stress levels, and all participants indicated experiencing an identified life stressor within the last 12 months. The results indicated statistically significant differences when comparing providers of social support: females preferred the support of friends, significant others, and athletic trainers, and freshmen and sophomores perceived more social support from friends than did juniors and seniors.
Article
Full-text available
This study aims at investigating student-athletes’ swearing motives when attending sports training program and competitions. This study involved 210 respondents (n = 201, Mage = 21.65; SD = 3.994), which were organized by the National Sports Committee of Indonesia, Jawa Tengah Province, Indonesia. Data collection used a self-rated questionnaire with a 5-Likert scale measuring for expressing anger, stressing from opponents, relieving tension and frustration, and customizing daily expression using the IBM SPSS software analyses. The results postulated that the scaled determinants empirically triggered student-athletes’ swearing motives in expressing anger (M = 2.13; SD =.922), stressing from opponents (M = 2.15; SD = 1.005), relieving tension and frustration (M = 1.98; SD = 1.019), and customizing daily expression (M = 2.10; SD = 1.087), although there were no statistically significant differences among those determinants. The dependent variable showed that F (4, 202), p = .000; Wilks’ Lambda = .58; and partial eta squared = .13, whilst the normality, linearity, and homoscedasticity consequences were not transgressive. Hence, among the determinants had positive correlations (r = .769, n = 210, p.01), where student-athletes’ swearing expression levels sequentially placed stressing from the opponents associated with expressing anger, customizing daily expression, and relieving tension and frustration. Meanwhile, social media was mostly eligible to determine gender-based swearing expressions (females = 50.4%, males = 43.2%), expressed by the local swearwords. These swearing motives constitute student-athletes’ intrinsic and extrinsic relationships, whether positive or negative actions that conditionally differentiate student-athletes’ psychological well-being across the dimensions of self-acceptance, autonomy, environment and personal maturation
Article
Full-text available
This study examined the critical benchmarks impacting on players’ return-to-sport following injury sustenance in selected Tertiary Institutions of Zimbabwe. The study was a descriptive, prospective cohort design anchored on quantitative approach. Its population was 453 with a sample of 228 participants that comprised coaches, fitness trainers, physiotherapists, psychologists, and handball players drawn from 10 selected Teachers Colleges in Zimbabwe. Male and female handball players were from original collegiate handball teams for the entire period of study. Questionnaires were used as data collection tools. All data were statistically performed using IBM SPSS Version 23 and presented on a multi-part graph and table. Emerging findings revealed absence of quality return-to-sport training modes for re-enacting players’ musculoskeletal deficits. Quality social support synergies for full resurgence of return-to-sport players’ physiological and socio-psychological tenets lacked among health service providers. The study recommends that co-opting multi-social-support synergies during rehabilitation and return-to-sport episodes could significantly address players’ socio-psychological and physiological tenets. Health service providers with amplified skill sets should fully re-orient athletes’ fractured return-to-sport hope pathways. Further appropriately designed, quality contemporary evidence-based multi-modal training batteries should resonate critical evaluative ‘viaducts’ and ‘mainstay’ of rehabilitation and return-to-sport transitions for enhancement of players’ socio-psychological and mitochondrial tenacity levels. Scientific monitoring approaches could further substantiate reduction of inherent injury tendencies through HIFT regimens.
Article
Full-text available
Background and Aim: COVID-19 as a infectious disease more than the past showed that physical exercise as immunological and physiological effects is necessary for human being. In this review study, we assessed the physiological and immunological effects of exercise training with considering to the COVID-19 and introduced exercise models in inside and outside the house. materials and methods: In this study, a review of all databases, including ISI Web of Science, Scopus, ISC, PubMed, Google Scholar Learners, Noor, related articles were examined. Also, in the article search process, the keywords: coronavirus, COVID-19, Exercise and coronavirus, sports activity and immune system, high-intensity exercise activity and immune system were used. Ethical considerations: Ethical principles have been observed in writing the article. Result: The coronavirus (Covid 19) has recently become one of the most dangerous causes of death in the world. Research has shown that moderate-intensity exercise can help boost immune system function. On the other hand, it has been shown that high-intensity exercise can have negative effects on the immune system, which can be a bad strategy in reducing the function of the immune system and increasing the risk of infectious diseases. But according to existing research, doing sports outside the home is still not recommended, and doing sports at home is still a very important strategy. Conclusion: Due to the onset of the second wave of the corona virus in the world, it is recommended to continue to work at home in accordance with hygienic protocols (maintaining humidity and cleanliness of the environment) and the appropriate intensity and duration.
Article
Mental health remains a topic of concern within collegiate athletics, though athletes are perceived to have some protection due to physically active lifestyles. This study compared student-athletes to students who were Greek members and students who did not belong to either a sport team or Greek organization on social connectedness and a range of health measures. The sample of athletes was then analyzed comparing members of Division I and Division III, team or coactive sports, and revenue or non-revenue sports. Results showed athletes perceived better health than non-athletes, and Division I athletes reported poorer mental health than Division III athletes. Additionally, team sport members reported higher anxiety than coactive sport members, and coactive sport members reported more days of poor physical health. It is hypothesized that team sport athletes may feel more social pressure, and coactive sport athletes may adhere less to the sport ethic reinforced in a team setting.
Article
Background : College freshmen are at high-risk for depressive symptoms after experiencing drastic transitions in a new environment. Perceived parental control has proved as a prominent role in an adolescent's mental health. However, the further understandings of the mechanisms underlying the relation between perceived parental control and freshmen's depressive symptoms are urgent. Methods : A total of 4,297 Chinese freshmen (57% female) were recruited. They completed the self-report Parental Bonding Instrument (PBI), Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI), and University Personality Inventory (UPI), which assess parental control, empathy and depressive symptoms, respectively. The data were analysed using correlation analysis and a test of moderated mediation. Results : The results showed positive association between parental control and depressive symptoms, partially mediated by empathy. The relation between parental control and affective empathy, was moderated by gender. Specifically, maternal control had a more significant positive effect on males’ personal distress. Moreover, the influence of paternal control was also greater for males, with a negative effect on empathic concern and positive on personal distress. Conclusions : Parental control significantly positively predicted college freshmen's depressive symptoms, and empathy played a partially mediating role. In addition, the relations between parental control and affective empathy were moderated by freshmen's gender. The findings of this study provide a better understanding of how parental control is related to freshmen's depressive symptoms, offering a theoretical basis for promoting the development of adolescents’ mental health and supporting the design of effective psychological interventions to relieve their depressive symptoms.
Article
Full-text available
The purpose of this study was to examine the reliability and validity of the Received Support Scale of the Berlin Social Support Scales in a Canadian sample of English and French language melanoma patients (N = 137). Participants received a skin self-examination education and completed self-report questionnaires. Exploratory factor analyses, reliability analyses, and independent samples t-tests were conducted. Findings support the unidimensionality of the Received Support Scale of the Berlin Social Support Scales. The psychometric similarities of the French and English versions of the scale, its strong internal consistency, as well as its convergent and discriminant validity support the use of the Received Support Scale of the Berlin Social Support Scales in patients with melanoma.
Article
Full-text available
Whereas an interdependent cultural view of self has been linked to communal norms and to socially supportive behavior, its relationship to social support has been called into question in research suggesting that discomfort in social support is associated with an interdependent cultural view of self (e.g., Taylor et al., 2004). These contrasting claims were addressed in 2 studies conducted among Japanese, Indian, and American adults. Assessing everyday social support, Study 1 showed that Japanese and Americans rely on exchange norms more frequently than Indians among friends, whereas American rely on exchange norms more frequently than Indians and Japanese among siblings. Assessing responses to vignettes, Study 2 demonstrated that Japanese and Americans rely more frequently on exchange norms than Indians, with greatest relational concerns and most negative outlooks on social support observed among Japanese, less among Americans, and least among Indians. Results further indicated that relational concerns mediated the link between exchange norms and negative social support outlooks. Supporting past claims that relational concerns explain cultural variation in discomfort in social support (e.g., Kim, Sherman, & Taylor, 2008), the findings underscore the need to take into account as well the role of exchange norms in explaining such discomfort. The findings also highlight the existence of culturally variable approaches to exchange and call into question claims that discomfort in social support can be explained in terms of the global concept of an interdependent cultural view of self. (PsycINFO Database Record
Article
Full-text available
Background The mental health of elite athletes has received increasing attention in recent years, but no study has evaluated the career–time prevalence of depression, and very few have analysed risk factors of mental health problems during or after the career. Methods 157 (response rate 64.1%) female players who played in the German First League answered an anonymous online survey on details of their football career, stressful and helpful conditions, depression and need of psychotherapeutic support during and after the football career. Results The career–time prevalence of depression symptoms was 32.3%. Significant differences in the average depression score were observed for playing positions (F=2.75; p<0.05) and levels of play (F=3.53; p<0.01). About half of the players (49.7%) stated ‘conflicts with coach/management’ as an important reason for their low in moods, followed by ‘low in performance/injury’ (48.4%) and ‘too little support/acknowledgement by the coach’ (40.0%). ‘Psychological strain/stress’ (46.5%) was (after injury) the second most important reason for lows in performance. During their career, almost 40% of players wanted or needed psychological support, but only 10% received it. After their career, the percentage of players wanting or needing psychological support decreased to 24%, of whom 90% received it. Conclusions The high prevalence of depression symptoms in combination with low use of psychotherapy during the career shows the need for de-stigmatisation of mental health issues in elite football. Furthermore, it seems very important to educate coaches, physicians, physiotherapists and club managers to recognise and prevent mental health problems of their players.
Article
Full-text available
Participation in college athletics comes with inherent risks. Many of these risks relate to the psychosocial well-being of athletes. This study examined the availability of services that treat psychosocial needs. A web-based survey was used to gather information from both athletic directors (N = 132) and athletes (N = 349). The researcher used descriptive and multivariate tests to analyze the data and found both athletic directors and athletes found psychosocial services to be less available than academic and athletic services. Additionally, NCAA division level impacted the degree of service availability. More must be done to ensure the psychosocial well-being of college athletes. This includes exploring ideas for having services more readily available.
Article
Full-text available
The purpose of this study is to understand how social capital and social support influence the academic success of Black student-athletes that attend predominantly White institutions of higher education (PWIHEs). Utilizing a qualitative approach, the authors conducted narrative interviews to understand the experiences of Black student-athletes (N = 9) at a PWIHE in the southwestern region of the USA. Employing critical race theory, the Black student-athletes revealed their experiential realities as a racial minority within the academic environment. The findings revealed that their academic success was contingent upon their interactions with faculty as their status as Black student-athletes promoted positive and negative interactions. As such, Black student-athletes leveraged their social capital, or social networks consisting of parents and family, to provide social support. Acknowledging the unique “culture” of student-athletes, college and university athletic departments and their personnel may find it beneficial to create proactive avenues for parental engagement to aid in student-athlete adjustment and matriculation.
Article
Full-text available
The aim of this study is to explain symbolic interaction theory. Symbolic interaction is one of the several theories in the social sciences. According to this theory, people live both in the natural and the symbolic environment. Symbolic interaction is a process that is enlivened the reciprocal meaning and values by aid of the symbols in the mind. Meanings constitute of reciprocal interaction between persons. Objects don’t have meaning on their own. But objects get their meanings from the social actors. Consequently symbolic interaction is a process of “interpretation of the action”. Dewey, Cooley, Mead, Blumer and several other theorists attribute to this theory. Although all of them explain the certain aspects of human behavior, they all differ among themselves regarding the relative significance of interactionist perspectives. İn this study, which totally depends on literature review, symbolic interaction theory is explained.
Article
Full-text available
This study examined the athletic status differences in reported depressive symptoms between male intercollegiate team sport athletes (n = 66) and male nonathletes (n = 51) enrolled at one of two public universities in the Southeastern United States, while controlling for preferred (task-oriented and emotion-oriented) coping strategies. Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) revealed that the athletes reported significantly fewer depressive symptoms than nonathletes while controlling for coping strategy selection (p < .05). In terms of the actual prevalence rates of depressive symptoms, 29.4% of the nonathletes met the criterion for possible depression compared with only 15.6% of the athletes. Overall, athletic participation in an intercollegiate team sport appears related to lower levels of depression. The potentially distress-buffering aspects of athletic involvement and implications for future research are discussed.
Article
Full-text available
Social support and negative social interactions have implications for athlete psychological health, with potential to influence the links of stress-related experiences with burnout and well-being over time. Using a longitudinal design, perceived social support and negative social interactions were examined as potential moderators of the temporal stress-burnout and burnout-well-being relationships. American collegiate athletes (N = 465) completed reliable and valid online assessments of study variables at four time points during the competitive season. After controlling for dispositional and conceptually important variables, social support and negative social interactions did not moderate the stress-burnout or burnout-well-being relationships, respectively, but did simultaneously contribute to burnout and well-being across the competitive season. The results showcase the importance of sport-related social perceptions to athlete psychological outcomes over time and inform development of socially driven interventions to improve the psychological health of competitive athletes.
Article
Full-text available
Aims and Objectives: To determine the relationship between depression, perceived and received social support. Materials and methods: Forty elderly (age >60 yrs) subjects were assessed for depression and social support using Berlin Social Support Scale. Result: Significant negative correlation was seen between perceived social support and depression (r = −.413; P < 0.01). There was no significant correlation between depression and received social support. Conclusion: Perception of social support in elderly is affected by depression. Adequate treatment of depression which improves negative cognition would help in the perception of social support for elderly subjects who are depressed and aid in recovery.
Article
Full-text available
Abstract This study examined whether athletes' attachment styles with the coach were linked to aspects of the coach-athlete relationship quality and, in turn, whether relationship quality was linked to athletes' well-being. One hundred and ninety-two athletes completed a questionnaire measuring their attachment styles and relationship quality with the coach as well as their feelings of positive affect (PA) and negative affect (NA). Structural equation modelling (SEM) analysis found athletes' avoidant and secure attachment styles to be associated with aspects of coach-athlete relationship quality such as social support, relationship depth, and interpersonal conflict. Interpersonal conflict appeared to play a key role in athletes' PA and NA. From a practical perspective, an understanding of conflict management could provide a resource that allows athletes (and coaches) to enhance the quality of their sporting relationships. Specifically, an awareness of proactive strategies (e.g., steps to clarify expectations) and reactive strategies (e.g., cooperation during the discussion of disagreements) could potentially lead both coaches and athletes to "broaden" their viewpoints and in turn "build" connections that are capable of generating positive emotions including interest, excitement, happiness, and zeal.
Article
Full-text available
Zusammenfassung. Die Berliner Social Support Skalen (BSSS; Schwarzer & Schulz, 2000) unterscheiden sich von anderen Fragebogenverfahren zur sozialen Unterstutzung durch ihren mehrdimensionalen Ansatz: Sowohl kognitive als auch behaviorale Aspekte sozialer Unterstutzung konnen mit den insgesamt 6 Skalen (Wahrgenommene, Erhaltene und Geleistete Unterstutzung, Bedurfnis und Suche nach Unterstutzung, Protektives Abfedern) erhoben werden. Die vorliegende Untersuchung beruht auf einer Stichprobe von 457 Krebspatienten, die mehrmals vor und nach einer Operation befragt wurden. In dieser Studie erwiesen sich die Skalen als psychometrisch befriedigend. Zahlreiche Hinweise auf die Validitat konnten ermittelt werden. Unter anderem war es moglich, auch die erhaltene Patientenunterstutzung durch die Unterstutzung seitens des Partners vorherzusagen. Das beschriebene Inventar steht unter http://www.coping.de zur Verfugung.
Article
Full-text available
Objective: To assess the prevalence of diagnosed failure-based depression and self-reported symptoms of depression within a sample of elite swimmers competing for positions on Canadian Olympic and World Championship teams. Design: A cross-sectional design. Setting: Assessments were conducted after the conclusion of the qualifying swimming trials. Participants: The sample consisted of 50 varsity swimmers (28 men and 22 women) based at 2 Canadian universities who were competing to represent Canada internationally. Main outcome measures: Diagnosed depression was assessed using a semistructured interview, and symptoms of depression were also assessed by the Beck Depression Inventory II. Performance was measured by changes in swimming time and athlete ranking. Results: Before competition, 68% of athletes met criteria for a major depressive episode. More female athletes experienced depression than their male peers (P = 0.01). After the competition, 34% of athletes met diagnostic criteria and 26% self-reported mild to moderate symptoms of depression. The prevalence of depression doubled among the elite top 25% of athletes assessed. Within this group, performance failure was significantly associated with depression. Conclusions: The findings suggest that the prevalence of depression among elite athletes is higher than what has been previously reported in the literature. Being ranked among the very elite athletes is related to an increase in susceptibility to depression, particularly in relation to a failed performance. Given these findings, it is important to consider the mental health of athletes and have appropriate support services in place.
Article
Full-text available
Thematic analysis is a poorly demarcated, rarely acknowledged, yet widely used qualitative analytic method within psychology. In this paper, we argue that it offers an accessible and theoretically flexible approach to analysing qualitative data. We outline what thematic analysis is, locating it in relation to other qualitative analytic methods that search for themes or patterns, and in relation to different epistemological and ontological positions. We then provide clear guidelines to those wanting to start thematic analysis, or conduct it in a more deliberate and rigorous way, and consider potential pitfalls in conducting thematic analysis. Finally, we outline the disadvantages and advantages of thematic analysis. We conclude by advocating thematic analysis as a useful and flexible method for qualitative research in and beyond psychology.
Article
Full-text available
Few epidemiological studies have focused on the psychological health of high level athletes. This study aimed to identify the principal psychological problems encountered within French high level athletes, and the variations in their prevalence based on sex and the sport practiced. Multivariate analyses were conducted on nationwide data obtained from the athletes' yearly psychological evaluations. A representative sample of 13% of the French athlete population was obtained. 17% of athletes have at least one ongoing or recent disorder, generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) being the most prevalent (6%), followed by non-specific eating disorders (4.2%). Overall, 20.2% of women had at least one psychopathology, against 15.1% in men. This female predominance applied to anxiety and eating disorders, depression, sleep problems and self-harming behaviors. The highest rates of GAD appeared in aesthetic sports (16.7% vs. 6.8% in other sports for men and 38.9% vs. 10.3% for women); the lowest prevalence was found in high risk sports athletes (3.0% vs. 3.5%). Eating disorders are most common among women in racing sports (14% vs. 9%), but for men were found mostly in combat sports (7% vs. 4.8%). This study highlights important differences in psychopathology between male and female athletes, demonstrating that the many sex-based differences reported in the general population apply to elite athletes. While the prevalence of psychological problems is no higher than in the general population, the variations in psychopathology in different sports suggest that specific constraints could influence the development of some disorders.
Article
Full-text available
The Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) is one of the most widely used measures of depressive symptoms in research today. The original psychometric work in support of the CES-D (Radloff, 1977) described a 4-factor model underlying the 20 items on the scale. Despite a long history of evidence supporting this structure, researchers routinely report single-number summaries from the CES-D. The research described in this article examines the plausibility of 1-factor model using an initial sample of 595 subjects and a cross-validation sample of 661. After comparing a series of models found in the literature or suggested by analyses, we determined that the good fit of the 4-factor model is mostly due to its ability to model excess covariance associated with the 4 reverse-scored items. A 2-factor model that included a general depression factor and a positive wording method factor loading only on those 4 items had fit that was nearly as good as the original 4-factor model. We conclude that although a 1-factor model may not be the best model for the full 20-item CES-D, it is at least plausible. If a unidimensional set of items is required (e.g., for a unidimensional item response theory analysis), by dropping 5 items, we were able to find a 1-factor model that had very similar fit to the 4-factor model with the original 20 items.
Article
Full-text available
The authors compared collegiate athletes and nonathletes to see whether there were significant differences in the perceived levels of social connectedness, self-esteem, and depression and if an interaction among the variables of athlete status, gender, GPA, BMI, and levels of weekly exercise and sleep were associated with depression symptomatology. Participants were 227 college students. The authors surveyed students using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale, the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, and the Social Connectedness Scale-Revised. Athletes had significantly greater levels of self-esteem and social connectedness, as well as significantly lower levels of depression, than did nonathletes. However, the statistically strongest predictors of depression in this cohort were the variables of gender, self-esteem, social connectedness, and sleep. This study adds to the limited and inconsistent research in the empirical knowledge base regarding depression among collegiate athletes.
Article
Full-text available
The purpose of this article is to determine whether the positive association between social support and well-being is attributable more to an overall beneficial effect of support (main- or direct-effect model) or to a process of support protecting persons from potentially adverse effects of stressful events (buffering model). The review of studies is organized according to (a) whether a measure assesses support structure or function, and (b) the degree of specificity (vs. globality) of the scale. By structure we mean simply the existence of relationships, and by function we mean the extent to which one’s interpersonal relationships provide particular resources. Special attention is paid to methodological characteristics that are requisite for a fair comparison of the models. The review concludes that there is evidence consistent with both models. Evidence for a buffering model is found when the social support measure assesses the perceived availability of interpersonal resources that are responsive to the needs elicited by stressful events. Evidence for a main effect model is found when the support measure assesses a person’s degree of integration in a large social network. Both conceptualizations of social support are correct in some respects, but each represents a different process through which social support may affect well-being. Implications of these conclusions for theories of social support processes and for the design of preventive interventions are discussed.
Article
Full-text available
To describe the prevalence of symptoms of depression among competitive collegiate student athletes and examine the factors associated with symptoms of depression among this population. A baseline survey of a prospective cohort study. The survey was administered at the preseason team meetings. The sample included 257 collegiate student athletes (167 males and 90 females) who participated in Division I National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)-sponsored sports during the 2005-2006 academic year. Symptoms of depression were measured by the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CESD). Anxiety was measured by the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). The Generalized Estimating Equations (GEE) was used to assess the factors associated with symptoms of depression. Twenty-one percent of participants reported experiencing symptoms of depression. Athletes who were female, freshmen, or with self-reported pain were associated with significantly increased odds of experiencing symptoms of depression after adjusting for sports and other covariates. In particular, female athletes had 1.32 greater odds (95% CI, 1.01 to 1.73) of experiencing symptoms of depression compared to male student athletes. Freshmen had 3.27 greater odds (95% CI, 1.63 to 6.59) of experiencing symptoms of depression than their more senior counterparts. Student athletes who reported symptoms of depression were associated with higher scores of State-Anxiety and Trait-Anxiety, respectively (P<0.0001). Our findings provide empirical data for the future study on mental health among collegiate athletes. Further studies on why female and freshmen athletes are at increased risk of experiencing symptoms of depression are also warranted.
Article
This study investigated the correlates of objective social isolation from extended family members and friends among a national sample of African Americans. The analysis is based upon the African American subsample (n=3,570) of the National Survey of American Life. The dependent variable examines four categories of respondents: 1) socially isolated from both family and friends, 2) socially isolated from friends only, 3) socially isolated from family only, and 4) not socially isolated. Overall, 23% of respondents indicated some degree of objective social isolation from family, friends or both groups, while the complementary 77% of the sample were not isolated from family or friends. Only 4% of respondents indicated being isolated from both family and friends. Multinomial logistic regression analysis revealed several gender, education, marital status and region differences. In particular, African American women were less likely to be socially isolated from family members than African American men. This finding was sustained even when controlling for differences in subjective isolation from family members, underscoring the protective effect of female gender. Study findings are discussed in relation to previous research on social isolation, as well as prior research on African American social support networks.
Article
Background There are approximately 400 000 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) student athletes and 5–7 million high school student athletes competing each year. According to the US Department of Health and Human Services, the depression prevalence rate for young adults, which ranges from 10% to 85% across studies, is higher than that of other age groups. Given the relatively high prevalence of depression in individuals of collegiate age in the general population, the prevalence of depression among athletes in this age group warrants further study. This multiyear study examined the prevalence of depressive symptoms in college athletes, as well as demographic factors related to increased or decreased rates of depressive symptoms by gender and sport. Objective To describe the prevalence of depression symptoms among NCAA division I student athletes at a single institution over 3 consecutive years. Method Participants (n=465) completed a battery of measures during their yearly spring sports medicine physical across 3 consecutive years. The battery included the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) and a demographic questionnaire, administered during the course of routine sports medicine physical examinations. Differences in depressive symptoms prevalence and relative risk ratios were calculated by gender and sport. Results The prevalence rate for a clinically relevant level of depressive symptoms, as measured on the CES-D (CES-D ≥16), was 23.7%. A moderate to severe level of depressive symptoms was reported by 6.3%. There was a significant gender difference in prevalence of depressive symptoms, χ2 (1)=7.459, p=0.006, with female athletes exhibiting 1.844 times the risk of male athletes for endorsing clinically relevant symptoms. Conclusions The CES-D identified clinically relevant levels of depressive symptoms in nearly one-quarter of college student athletes in this large cross-sectional sample. Female college athletes reported significantly more depressive symptoms than males. Findings suggest that depression prevalence among college athletes is comparable to that found in the general college population. In light of these findings, sports medicine personnel may wish to implement depression screening and assessment of depressive symptoms across sports to identify at-risk athletes. Risk factors related to depression in college athletes warrant additional study.
Article
There is an extensive body of research indicating that social support can contribute to health and well-being by reducing exposure to stress and enhancing coping efforts. The mechanisms underlying this relationship remain poorly understood, however, and confusion abounds as to the nature of social support. This paper examines some of the major conceptual issues relevant to the study of social support in the context of sport injury. Specific issues addressed include differences between (a) support activities and support messages, (b) perceived support and received support, and (c) support networks, support behaviors, and appraisals of support. The discussion includes an examination of the general and sport-specific social support research. Gaps in the research are identified and suggestions are made throughout the paper for investigating social support issues in sport.
Article
Depression affects an estimated 6.7% of today's adult population in a 12-month period. The prevalence rates for certain age groups, such as young adults and older adults, are higher. There are approximately 400,000 National Collegiate Athletic Association student athletes competing each year and 5 to 7 million high school student athletes involved in competitive interscholastic sports. Given such a high prevalence rate in certain age groups and a large denominator pool of athletes, past notions that athletes are devoid of mental health issues have come under scrutiny by sports medicine providers. Initial data suggest that athletes are far from immune to depression. The purpose of this article was to review the current research on athletes and depression; particularly this article will provide an overview of studies, which have investigated the rate of depression among athletes, and discuss relevant risk factors, which may contribute to depression among athletes.
Article
Close and caring relationships are undeniably linked to health and well-being at all stages in the life span. Yet the specific pathways through which close relationships promote optimal well-being are not well understood. In this article, we present a model of thriving through relationships to provide a theoretical foundation for identifying the specific interpersonal processes that underlie the effects of close relationships on thriving. This model highlights two life contexts through which people may potentially thrive (coping successfully with life’s adversities and actively pursuing life opportunities for growth and development), it proposes two relational support functions that are fundamental to the experience of thriving in each life context, and it identifies mediators through which relational support is likely to have long-term effects on thriving. This perspective highlights the need for researchers to take a new look at social support by conceptualizing it as an interpersonal process with a focus on thriving.
Article
Context: When an athlete is injured, the primary focus of the sports medicine team is to treat the physical effects of the injury. However, many injured athletes experience negative psychological responses, including anxiety, regarding their injury. Objective: To compare the anxiety and social support of athletes with concussions and a matched group of athletes with orthopaedic injuries. Design: Cross-sectional study. Setting: Athletic training room. Patients or other participants: A total of 525 injuries among athletes from 2 Big Ten universities were observed. Of these, 63 concussion injuries were matched with 63 orthopaedic injuries for the athlete's sex, sport, and time loss due to injury. Main outcome measure(s): Clinical measures included the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (which measures both state and trait anxiety) and the modified 6-item Social Support Questionnaire. Results: The group with concussions relied on their family for social support 89% of the time, followed by friends (78%), teammates (65%), athletic trainers (48%), coaches (47%), and physicians (35%). The group with orthopaedic injuries relied on their family for social support 87% of the time, followed by friends (84%), teammates (65%), athletic trainers (57%), coaches (51%), and physicians (36%). We found no differences for the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (t = -1.38, P = .193) between the concussed and orthopaedic-injury groups. Social Support Questionnaire scores were significant predictors for postinjury state anxiety. Specifically, increased scores were associated with decreased postinjury state anxiety (β = -4.21, P = .0001). Conclusions: Both the concussed athletes and those with orthopaedic injuries experienced similar state and trait anxiety and relied on similar sources of social support postinjury. However, athletes with orthopaedic injuries reported greater satisfaction with support from all sources compared with concussed athletes. In contrast, concussed athletes showed more significant predictor models of social support on state anxiety at return to play.
Article
The relationships among types of social support and different facets of subjective well-being (i.e., life satisfaction, positive affect, and negative affect) were examined in a sample of 1,111 individuals between the ages of 18 and 95. Using structural equation modeling we found that life satisfaction was predicted by enacted and perceived support, positive affect was predicted by family embeddedness and provided support, and negative affect was predicted by perceived support. When personality variables were included in a subsequent model, the influence of the social support variables were generally reduced. Invariance analyses conducted across age groups indicated that there were no substantial differences in predictors of the different types of subjective well-being across age.
Article
The CES-D scale is a short self-report scale designed to measure depressive symptomatology in the general population. The items of the scale are symptoms associated with depression which have been used in previously validated longer scales. The new scale was tested in household interview surveys and in psychiatric settings. It was found to have very high internal consistency and adequate test- retest repeatability. Validity was established by pat terns of correlations with other self-report measures, by correlations with clinical ratings of depression, and by relationships with other variables which support its construct validity. Reliability, validity, and factor structure were similar across a wide variety of demographic characteristics in the general population samples tested. The scale should be a useful tool for epidemiologic studies of de pression.
Article
Abstract There is clear evidence that interpersonal social support impacts stress levels and, in turn, degree of physical illness and psychological well-being. This study examines whether mediated social networks serve the same palliative function. A survey of 401 undergraduate Facebook users revealed that, as predicted, number of Facebook friends associated with stronger perceptions of social support, which in turn associated with reduced stress, and in turn less physical illness and greater well-being. This effect was minimized when interpersonal network size was taken into consideration. However, for those who have experienced many objective life stressors, the number of Facebook friends emerged as the stronger predictor of perceived social support. The "more-friends-the-better" heuristic is proposed as the most likely explanation for these findings.
Article
Stress is a common occurrence in everyday life and repeated or traumatic stress can be a precipitating factor for illnesses of the central nervous system, as well as peripheral organ systems. For example, severe or long-term psychological stress can not only induce depression, a leading illness worldwide, but can also cause psychosomatic diseases such as asthma and rheumatoid arthritis. Related key questions include how psychological stress influences both brain and peripheral systems, and what detection mechanisms underlie these effects? A clue is provided by the discovery of the pathways underlying the responses to host "danger" substances that cause systemic diseases, but can also contribute to depression. The inflammasome is a protein complex that can detect diverse danger signals and produce the accompanying immune-inflammatory reactions. Interestingly, the inflammasome can detect not only pathogen-associated molecules, but also cell damage-associated molecules such as ATP. Here, we propose a new inflammasome hypothesis of depression and related comorbid systemic illnesses. According to this hypothesis, the inflammasome is a central mediator by which psychological and physical stressors can contribute to the development of depression, and as well as a bridge to systemic diseases. This hypothesis includes an explanation for how psychological stress can influence systemic diseases, and conversely how systemic diseases can lead to psychiatric illnesses. The evidence suggests that the inflammasome may be a new target for the development of treatments for depression, as well as psychosomatic and somato-psycho diseases.
Article
The aim was to investigate the associations between perceived social support and depression in a general population in relation to gender and age. Social support is seen as one of the social determinants for overall health in the general population. Studies have found higher probability of experiencing depression among people who have a lack of social support; evidence from the general population has been more limited. Subjective perception that support would be available if needed may reduce and prevent depression and unnecessary suffering. A cross-sectional survey with self-reported health was used. A total of 40,659 men and women aged 20-89 years living in Nord-Trøndelag County of Norway with valid ratings of depression subscale of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale in the The Nord-Trøndelag Health Study 3 were used. Logistic regression was used to quantify associations between two types of perceived support (emotional and tangible) and depression. Gender, age and interaction effects were controlled for in the final model. The main finding was that self-rated perceived support was significantly associated with Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale-defined depression, even after controlling for age and gender; emotional support (OR = 3·14) and tangible support (OR = 2·93). The effects of emotional and tangible support differ between genders. Interaction effects were found for age groups and both emotional and tangible support. Self-rated perceived functional social support is associated with Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale-defined depression. In the group of older people who have a lack of social support, women seem to need more emotional support and men tangible support. Health care providers should consider the close association between social support and depression in their continuing care, particularly in the older people.
Article
In an evaluation of the theoretical foundations of behavior change, the current study examined whether social cognitive (SCT) variables mediated treatment effects on physical activity and nutrition in the recently reported Guide-to-Health trial (GTH). Adults (N = 661) were assessed at baseline, seven months and 16 months to examine whether treatment-related changes in SCT variables at seven months mediated change in nutrition and physical activity at 16 months. GTH treatment effects were mediated by self-efficacy, self-regulation and social support; self-regulation mediated self-efficacy. Social-cognitive variables explained only part of the treatment effects suggesting future investigations evaluate the environmental-selection and affective processes of behavior change.
Article
Written from the standpoint of the social behaviorist, this treatise contains the heart of Mead's position on social psychology. The analysis of language is of major interest, as it supplied for the first time an adequate treatment of the language mechanism in relation to scientific and philosophical issues. "If philosophical eminence be measured by the extent to which a man's writings anticipate the focal problems of a later day and contain a point of view which suggests persuasive solutions to many of them, then George Herbert Mead has justly earned the high praise bestowed upon him by Dewey and Whitehead as a 'seminal mind of the very first order.'"—Sidney Hook, The Nation
Investigating the prevalence and risk-factors of depression symptoms among NCAA Division I collegiate athletes [Doctoral dissertation
  • C Cox
Cox, C. (2015). Investigating the prevalence and risk-factors of depression symptoms among NCAA Division I collegiate athletes [Doctoral dissertation, Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville].
Stepping outside of their comfort Zone: Perceptions of seeking behavioral health services amongst college athletes
  • M Moore
Moore, M. (2017). Stepping outside of their comfort Zone: Perceptions of seeking behavioral health services amongst college athletes. Journal of Issues in Intercollegiate Athletics, (Special Issue), 130-144.