Risk and Protective Factors of Generalized Anxiety Disorder of Elite Collegiate Athletes: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Chunxiao Li,Rong Fan,Guoxing Li,Jian Sun

doi:10.3389/fpubh.2021.607800

Abstract

The aim of this study was to examine the prevalence of Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) and its risk and protective factors in elite collegiate athletes. A cross-sectional survey was conducted during the 2019 in-season. A sample of elite collegiate athletes (n = 285) from China completed a self-report form assessing GAD and potential predictors including age, gender, sport type, sport achievement, sport injury, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), fear of failure, mental toughness, and satisfaction in sport. The overall prevalence of GAD symptoms was 22%. The results of zero-order correlation showed that age, gender, sport type, and sport achievement were not significantly related to GAD. However, athletes with a history of sport injury, a high risk of ADHD, and a high level of fear of failure had a significant and positive association with GAD (r = 0.14–0.54). Meanwhile, high levels of mental toughness and satisfaction in sport were significantly and negatively related to GAD (r = −0.22 to −0.24). The results of multiple regression analysis indicated that sport injury, ADHD, and fear of failure were significant risk factors of GAD (β = 0.10–0.40). These findings suggest the necessity to understand the GAD symptoms in elite collegiate athletes. Further research is needed to better understand and support the mental health of this target group.

Highlights

The sport community has paid increased attention to the mental health of elite athletes [1]
The aim of this research was to examine the prevalence of Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) and its associated risk and protective factors in elite collegiate athletes
The participants reported below average levels of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and GAD as well as moderate to high levels of mental toughness, fear of failure, and satisfaction in sport

Summary

Introduction

The sport community has paid increased attention to the mental health of elite athletes [1]. While sports participation can bring lots of benefits to elite athletes, they usually need to cope with both sport-specific and non-sport-specific demands (e.g., education, performance expectation, and sport injuries), which can pose potential threats to their mental health [3, 4]. Anxiety disorders refer to a group of disorders manifesting as excessive fear, tension, and worry [6]. These disorders include different subtypes, such as agoraphobia, Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), and social anxiety disorder. Anxiety disorders have been found to deteriorate sport performance [7], suggesting the need to understand their risk and protective factors

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Discussion

Conclusion