Impact of social and physical factors on psychological well-being under covid-19 lockdown in taekwondo athletes: A cross-sectional study

Abstract

In sports and taekwondo in particular, it is of interest to understand the impact of sociodemographic and physical factors of athletes during this period, as well as their impact on psychological health. This study aimed to analyze the relationship between physical activity levels, demographic factors, and psychological well-being during the COVID-19 lockdown in Taekwondo athletes. Seventy-eight male Taekwondo athletes (35 ± 14.6 years) at national and international levels participated in an online survey during the COVID-19 Lockdown period in September 2020. The factors analyzed included expertise, socioeconomic status, education, and physical activity levels. The main findings of this study indicated that university education level was significantly associated with both well-being and lower distress (χ2 = 7.0; p = 0.03). Similarly, athletes with a moderate level of physical activity showed a significant association with their state of well-being (χ2 = 7.0; p = 0.03) and absence of distress (χ2 = 10.5; p = 0.00). However, no significant associations were found between technical level and age category with well-being or distress. Our findings showed that the lockdown negatively affected both total physical activity levels and psychological well-being in Colombian Taekwondo Athletes. A higher educational level allows for a greater understanding of the situations presented during the pandemic, and the level of physical activity is a determinant of the mental health of athletes. Keywords: public health, SARS-CoV-2, martial arts, mental health.