Psychological Distress and Problem Gambling in Elite Athletes during COVID-19 Restrictions—A Web Survey in Top Leagues of Three Sports during the Pandemic

Abstract

COVID-19 and lockdown strategies may affect mental health and addictive behavior differently in the population, and elite athletes are among the professions clearly affected by the pandemic. This study in top elite athletes aimed to study current perceived psychological influence from COVID-19 and symptoms of depression, anxiety and changes in alcohol drinking, gambling behavior and problem gambling in the midst of the COVID-19 lockdown. This web survey included athletes in top leagues of soccer, ice hockey and handball in Sweden (N = 327, 62% men). A total of 66% and 51% were worried about the future of their sport or about their own future in sports, respectively. Feeling worse psychologically during the pandemic was common (72% of women, 40% of men, p < 0.001); depression criteria were endorsed by 19% of women and three percent of men (p < 0.001); anxiety criteria by 20% of women and five percent of men (p < 0.001). Reporting increased gambling during the pandemic was associated with gambling problem severity. Moderate-risk or problem gambling was seen in 10% of men and none of the women (p < 0.001). Depression and anxiety were associated with feeling worse during the COVID-19 pandemic and with concern over one’s own sports future. In conclusion, COVID-19-related distress is common in elite athletes and associated with mental health symptoms. Gambling increase during the pandemic was rare, but related to gambling problems, which were common in male athletes. The calls for increased focus on COVID-19-related concerns in athletes and on problem gambling in male athletes.

The effect of social isolation on psychological stress and gambling in the COVID-19 pandemic

“…Pathological gambling is more common in males in the general population, although gender differences in prevalence may have further narrowed in the past few years [21,22]. A study by Hakansson on athletes during the COVID-19 period reported that gambling problems were clearly more common in males, and females did not even have moderate risk or problem gambling issues [23]. Similar to the literature, our study found that male participants had higher rates of gambling habits than female participants.…”

Heightened Levels of Maladaptive Daydreaming Are Associated With COVID-19 Lockdown, Pre-existing Psychiatric Diagnoses, and Intensified Psychological Dysfunctions: A Multi-country Study

“…In a recent study, about half of the studied student sample reported that their gaming behavior had increased during the COVID-19 lockdown period and that gaming behavior was associated with examination-related stress (56). COVID-19 distress was also associated with elevated smartphone use (57), problematic gambling (58,59) and Internet use (60).…”

Self-Perceived Changes in Physical Activity and the Relation to Life Satisfaction and Rated Physical Capacity in Swedish Adults during the COVID-19 Pandemic—A Cross Sectional Study

“…Moreover, increased activity was associated with better mental health and wellbeing in the inactive population. A Swedish study showed that 72% of female and 40% of male elite athletes who responded to a survey reported that they were feeling psychologically worse during the pandemic [ 9 ]. However, the perceived impact on patterns of physical activity in the more general Swedish population has not yet been examined.…”