A Mediation Model between Self-Esteem, Anxiety, and Depression in Sport: The Role of Gender Differences in Speleologists

Abstract

The scientific literature on mental health has found an association between physical activity and emotional wellbeing and recommends active leisure activities as a way of keeping stress under control. The purpose of this research study is to analyze the level of anxiety, the symptoms of depression and the level of self-esteem of people practicing speleology, as well as possible gender differences. This paper also attempts to understand whether self-esteem is associated with the presence of symptoms of depression in speleologists and whether anxiety has a mediating effect. We conduct a cross-sectional and descriptive research study with a sampling of 105 adult speleologists. The results reveal that the total mediation model is applicable, as self-esteem has a significant indirect association with depression through trait anxiety, as well as a partial mediation model that is applicable through state anxiety. This means that speleologists with high levels of self-esteem, who appreciate and value themselves adequately, reveal lower levels of trait anxiety, and this negatively influences their levels of depression (that is, a lower level of depressive symptoms). At the same time, speleologists with high levels of self-esteem, who appreciate and value themselves adequately, also reveal lower levels of state anxiety, which again has a negative impact on their levels of depression (with fewer symptoms of depression). Emotions such as anxiety, self-esteem, depression and their collateral effects are international topics of interest, which are relevant for people from all sporting backgrounds; therefore, value should be placed on supporting and carrying out further research into this topic.

La autoestima y su relación con la ansiedad precompetitiva en futbolistas

“…Además, en futbolistas adolescentes se halló bajos niveles de autoestima que interfieren en las relaciones sociales y en la práctica deportiva (Hurtado et al, 2020;Klimenko et al, 2022)an intervention proposal is designed and developed through a specific program called 4Adelante, made up of different workshops and activities, which goal is to improve self-esteem levels in adolescent soccer playing girls, from 10 to 15 years old, in rural areas (Pozoblanco, Córdoba. Por otro lado, los deportistas que poseen nivel de autoestima elevado, se aprecian aspectos positivos como estabilidad emocional y capacidad de afrontar las adversidades que conlleva la competencia (De La Torre-Cruz et al, 2021;Suárez & Jiménez, 2021)the symptoms of depression and the level of self-esteem of people practicing speleology, as well as possible gender differences. This paper also attempts to understand whether self-esteem is associated with the presence of symptoms of depression in speleologists and whether anxiety has a mediating effect.…”

Motivational Climate Effect on the Development of Anxiety and Body Image in Education Students: A Structural Equation Model

“…Anxiety is another of the most frequently examined factors in sports psychology [10]. Tis term is defned as a disruptive state in which negative feelings and states of concern or nervousness predominate, afecting people's performance [11].…”