Abstract
Although research shows that chronic stress and specific stressful events (e.g. injury, failure) are associated with depressive symptoms in athletes, connections between chronic, major stressors and depressive symptoms are yet unknown. Therefore, the goal of the study was to gain new findings between major stressors and their relations to depressive symptoms and chronic stress. A total of 134 elite athletes provided data in an online survey. In addition to quantitative measurements (current depressive symptoms, and level of chronic stress), possible stressors were assessed qualitatively with an open ended question. By using content analysis to explore stressors, three different types of stressors were categorized: Double burden, sport specific demands, and conditions. Further statistical analysis found these stressors to be associated with dropout intentions, depression and chronic stress. Athletes, who reported sport specific demands (such as high training loads) as major stressors indicated higher levels of chronic stress and depressive symptoms than athletes without major stressors. Further research investigating sources of stress and its association to depressive syndromes in athletes could benefit from considering sport specific factors.
Highlights
Stress is a major determinant in the development of depression in the general population (Hammen, Kim, Eberhart, & Brennan, 2009; Lee, Jeong, Kwak, & Park, 2010; Monroe & Reid, 2009)
Physiological stressors were related to heavy exercise loads, injuries or bad performance levels, which is illustrated by examples like “not in shape for multiple weeks” or “multiple injuries”
The present results indicate that mainly stressors linked to sport specific psychological and physiological demands of an athlete are related to negative experiences like chronic stress or depressive symptoms
Summary
Stress is a major determinant in the development of depression in the general population (Hammen, Kim, Eberhart, & Brennan, 2009; Lee, Jeong, Kwak, & Park, 2010; Monroe & Reid, 2009). Regarding the population of athletes in elite sports, stress is discussed in relation to depressive syndromes according to Puffer &. An Explorative Study on Major Stressors and Its Connection to Depression and Chronic Stress among German Elite Athletes. Recent results (Nixdorf, Frank, Hautzinger, & Beckmann, 2013; Schaal et al, 2011) indicate that prevalence rates between 4% and 15% in elite athletes seem comparable to the general population in Europe (cf Frank, Nixdorf, & Beckmann, 2013). Due to the profound prevalence rates, further knowledge on specific connections between depression and stress in athletes is needed
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