Anxiety and Depression during COVID-19 in Elite Rugby Players: The Role of Mindfulness Skills

The COVID-19 pandemic created stressors that raised the likelihood of elite athletes experiencing mental health problems. Understanding how individual traits promote resilience is key to offering treatments specific to this population. This prospective study explores the relationship between mindfulness skills, resilience, and athletic identity on anxiety and depression. The initial assessment was during the first UK lockdown April–May 2020 (T1), and the second during the return to competition July-August 2020 (T2). The sample was 160 elite rugby players. Measures included: Personal Health Questionnaire-9, General Anxiety Disorder-7, Cognitive Affective Mindfulness Scale, Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, and Athletic Identity Measurement. The prevalence of anxiety and depression was profiled with descriptive statistics, and relationships between variables with bi-variate correlations and forward stepwise regression modelling. Depression decreased significantly between lock down (T1) and return to competition (T2) (MT1 = 4.20, MT2 = 3.24, p < 0.01), with no significant change in anxiety. Significant correlations were found between mindfulness, resilience, and anxiety and depression (≤0.001). Regression showed that mindfulness (T1) predicted lower anxiety and depression during the return to competition (T2) after controlling for baseline mental health symptoms. Returning to competition after lockdown was associated with a reduction in depression but not anxiety. Mindfulness skills potentially confer protection against anxiety and depression.

Validation of the Athletic Identity Measurement Scale in Youth Academy Soccer Players

The Athletic Identity Measurement Scale (AIMS) is a popular measure of Athletic Identity (AI). The purpose of the present study was to investigate the factor structure (7-item single factor and 3 factor model; Social Identity, Exclusivity and Negative Affectivity) of the AIMS within youth academy soccer players. A total of 259 male youth academy soccer players aged 12-18 years completed the AIMS. A series of confirmatory factor analyses, independent cluster modelling indicated support for the 7-item single-factor (AI) and the three-factor models but not within the same analysis. The results support the use of AIMS for the measurement of AI in elite male youth soccer players. Practitioners seeking to explore AI in youth soccer populations should use the three-factor model to glean further insight from the three subscales to support the design of more specific interventions where appropriate.

PSYCHOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF HEALTH-RELATED QUALITY OF LIFE AMONG RETIRED ELITE ATHLETES IN NIGERIA

<p>Retirement from sport is inevitable and unavoidable. It is a major source of threat to the health-related quality of life of retired elite athletes especially among who refute involvement in adequate planning and preparation for life after sports. The purpose of this study was to examine psychological characteristics of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among retired elite athletes in Oyo State, Nigeria. Two hypotheses were tested. The study employed descriptive survey research design. Purposive sampling technique was used to select one hundred (100) (Male = 63, Female = 37) retired elite athletes. The standardized questionnaires of Athletic Identity Measurement Scale (AIMS), Centre for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression Scale (CES-DS) and the Short-Form 8 (SF-8) Health Survey were used for collection of data from the respondents. The reliability coefficient of the instrument used are 0.86, 0.84 and 0.88 respectively. Data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics of frequency counts, percentages and multiple regression. The result of the study showed that, there is significant joint contributions of psychological characteristics on HRQoL (F(2, 97) = 107.581, R = .74, R2 = .686, Adj R2 = .686, p&lt;0.05) with 68.6% of degree of variance. Also, there is significant relative contributions of psychological characteristics [athletic-identity (β = -0.079, t = 0.41, p &lt; .05) and depression (β = -.297, t = -1.521, p&lt;0.05)] on HRQoL. Based on the findings, it was concluded that psychological intervention programme that promotes HRQoL and prepares retired elite athletes for life after sports should be developed and inculcated into the elite athletes’ programme before retirement, while regular visitation to psychological and mental health care centres for optimum advise on health-related wellbeing should carried out by the retired elite athletes. </p><p> </p><p><strong> Article visualizations:</strong></p><p><img src="/-counters-/edu_01/0864/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /></p>

The Athletic Identity of Collegiate Athletic Trainers: A Descriptive Study

Context: Empirical and anecdotal evidence suggest that many athletic trainers were former athletes and select the profession due to its affiliation with sport. Qualitative research has indicated that collegiate athletic trainers may have a strong athletic identity, but the concept of athletic identity has not been quantified in this population. Objective: To quantitatively asses the athletic identity of collegiate athletic trainers and determine if group differences exist. Design: Cross-sectional observational study. Setting: Collegiate clinical setting. Patients and Other Participants: A total of 257 (n = 93 (37%) males, n = 162 (63%) females) athletic trainers employed in the collegiate setting were included in data analysis. Main Outcome Measure(s): Data were collected via a web-based survey platform which was designed to measure athletic identity. Demographic information was analyzed for frequency and distribution. Mann-Whitney U tests and Kruskal-Wallis tests were calculated to determine if group differences existed. Results: The large majority of participants (90%) self-identified as having participated in organized sport yet scored moderately on the athletic identity measurement scale (22.9 ± 7.9). There were no sex differences in overall athletic identity (p = .446), but females did have higher levels of negative affectivity (p = .045) than males. Testing also revealed group differences based on current employment setting for social identity (p = .020), with NCAA Division I scores less than Division II, III, and NAIA. NCAA Division III exclusivity (p = .030) was lower than NCAA Division II and NAIA. Conclusions: It appears that components of athletic identity vary based on the employment setting of collegiate athletic trainers and may have a relationship to the number of hours worked in the summer. The moderate athletic identity scores of collegiate athletic trainers are comparable to former athletes who selected career paths outside of sport. This may indicate adaptive career decision processes.

Are They Athletes? A Self-Assessment of Athletic Identity Measurement and Perceived Benefits of Collegiate Esports Participants

Collegiate esports is a rapidly growing entity that is managed differently across campuses, with oversight taking place in athletic departments, campus recreation departments, student affairs, and to a lesser degree, academic departments. Esports has the potential to support the recruitment and retention of students while supporting the academic mission of universities through co-curricular opportunities in a variety of subject areas. Despite the broad existence of peer-reviewed research debating the consideration of esports as a sport, limited research is available that asks esports participants if they view themselves as athletes. A total of 120 participants completed a survey instrument that included items from the Athletic Identity Measurement Scale-Plus and the Quality and Importance of Recreational Services instruments. From the collegiate esports players included in this research, we see a complex picture of student-athletes emerging.