Effects of Long-Duration Home Isolation Linked to the COVID-19 Pandemic on Mental Health of Adolescent Athletes

Abstract

Purpose: To assess whether adolescent athletes were affected or not in terms of mental health by the long duration at home linked to isolation enforced during the COVID-19 pandemic. Method: The study included 940 team athletes, 274 individual athletes, and 131 nonathlete controls aged 12–17 years. Demographic data were obtained with a form including questions about age, sex, sports type, and physical activity status (type, duration, and frequency) during the isolation period. Participants completed the Children’s Revised Impact of Event Scale-13, Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale for Children, and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory for Children. Results: Among participants, 88% did not meet the physical activity recommendations for children and adolescents, while 42.8% felt depressed. Depressive symptoms were present in 38.1% of boys and 59.7% of girls, with girls (6.4%) having higher posttraumatic stress symptoms than boys (3.5%). Among athletes, depressive and anxiety symptoms were lower compared with nonathlete controls (P < .01). Posttraumatic stress symptoms were lower among athletes than nonathlete controls for girls (team vs control, P = .006; individual vs control, P = .002) but similar for boys (P > .05). The depression (P = .518), state (P = .866), and trait anxiety (P = .507) symptoms were similar between team athletes and individual athletes. Conclusion: Though adolescent athletes’ depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress symptoms were significantly lower than nonathlete controls, athletes also had high depression levels. These findings show the need to take precautions to protect the psychological health of not only nonathletes, but also athletes in the pandemic period.

Impact of COVID on Sports Injury Patterns, Changes in Mental Well-Being, and Strategies to Prepare for Future Pandemics in Sport

“…Collective evidence from Europe (13,(55)(56)(57)(58)(59)(60)(61)(62)(63), Asia (64,65), Canada (66), South America (67), and the Middle East (68)(69)(70) is demonstrating that the pandemic-related restrictions had clear negative impact on mental well-being among athletes across all ages. Surveys administered one to three times during the pandemic have identified mood disturbances, behavioral changes, and varying levels of stress among competitors ranging in age from youth, collegiate through professional.…”

Comparison of eating disorders symptoms and body image between individual and team sport adolescent athletes during the COVID-19 pandemic

“…The depression (p = 0.518), state (p = 0.866), and trait anxiety (p = 0.507) symptoms were similar between team athletes and individual athletes. The authors reaffirmed that, though adolescent athletes' depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress symptoms were significantly lower than nonathlete controls, athletes also had high depression levels, indicating the need to take precautions to protect the psychological health of athletes in the pandemic [5].…”

“…With this caveat in mind, we can learn from existing studies on aspects of this population, and dependent variables of interest, in order to compare and contrast findings with the current study. Overall, the existing literature thus far indicates that adolescent athletes have reported decreased physical activity, increased depression and anxiety symptoms, and lower quality of life, during the COVID-19 pandemic [4,5].…”

“…Denerel and colleagues assessed the effects of longduration home isolation linked to the pandemic on the mental health of adolescent athletes in June 2021 [5]. In a study that included 940 team athletes, 274 individual athletes, and 131 nonathlete controls (both boys and girls, age range 12-17 years), they reported that 88% did not meet the physical activity recommendations for children and adolescents, and 42.8% felt depressed.…”

“…Some of the beneficial physical adaptations in the body observed as a result of a regimented training program (e.g., increases in blood and blood plasma volume, cardiac output and stroke volume during maximal efforts, muscular hypertrophy) [15] have been shown to reverse with deconditioning (e.g., extended periods of lowered or inactivity) [16]. Thus, adolescent athletes may be particularly vulnerable to these concerns during this extended COVID-19 lockdown [3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12].…”