Abstract
BackgroundThis study addresses the lack of comparative data on the mental health of athletes in Paralympic sports (‘para-athletes’) and non-para athletes by examining the prevalence and correlates of mental health symptoms in a national sample of elite athletes representative of the population from which it was drawn on age and para-status.MethodsA cross-sectional, anonymous, online-survey was provided to all categorised (e.g. highest level) athletes, aged 17 years and older, registered with the Australian Institute of Sport (n = 1566). Measures included psychological distress, mental health caseness, risky alcohol consumption, body weight and shape dissatisfaction, self-esteem, life satisfaction, and problem gambling. Correlates of outcomes included individual (e.g. demographic and psychosocial) and sport-related variables.ResultsThe participation rate was 51.7% (n = 810), with valid data available from 749 athletes. No significant differences were observed between athletes from para- and non-para-sports on most mental health symptoms, with the exception of alcohol consumption (p < .001) and self-esteem (p = .007), both lower in athletes from para-sports. A trend for an interaction was found for anxiety and insomnia (p = .018), whereby the difference between athletes from para- and non-para-sports was qualified by gender.ConclusionsIn a large sample of elite athletes, mental health and wellbeing symptoms are comparable between athletes from para- and non-para-sports, with the exception of para-athletes reporting lower alcohol consumption but also lower self-esteem. While overall mental health and wellbeing symptom profiles are largely similar, attention to areas of differences will help to better address the unmet and distinct mental health needs of athletes from para-sports.
Highlights
There is increasing recognition of the mental health challenges and needs of elite and professional sportspeople [1]
The Paralympic Movement and the status of the Paralympics has potentially facilitated the development of a range of protective factors for athletes relating to their involvement in elite sport and their identity as an elite athlete, which in turn may positively affect mental health [6, 7]
Information/Demographics In addition to basic demographic characteristics, athletes were asked whether or not they had competed in the 2018 Winter Olympics and Paralympics, or the 2018 Commonwealth Games; their sport type; the number of years contracted as an national sporting organisation (NSO) athlete; whether they were currently injured or in adapted training programme due to injury; the frequency of sport-related travel over the past year; the experience of missing significant life events due to travel for sport; and whether they had ‘ever been treated for a psychological issue or mental health problem’
Summary
There is increasing recognition of the mental health challenges and needs of elite and professional sportspeople [1]. Self-esteem was measured using the validated 10-item Rosenberg Self Esteem Scale [20], with responses provided on 4-point Likert scale (1 = strongly disagree to 4 = strongly agree), whereby higher scores indicate higher self-esteem This scale was found to be reliable in the current sample (α = 0.87). Participants rate items relative to the preceding month, where 0 = not at all to 7 = almost always, with higher scores indicating greater risk Both subscales were shown to be reliable in the current sample (anger and aggression α = 0.90; risk-taking behaviour α = 0.80). Each item is assessed on a 7-point Likert scale ranging from 1 = strongly disagree to 7 = strongly agree, with higher scores indicating higher life satisfaction, and was shown to be reliable in the current sample (α = 0.90). Quality of life was assessed using a single item that rated quality of life on a 5-point scale, ranging from ‘very poor’ to ‘very good’
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