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A Survey of the Mental Health of UK Olympic and Paralympic Sport Athletes.

Leyland, Sandra, Currie, Alan, Board, Lisa, Mistry, Amit, Jaques, Rod and Ranson, Craig (2022) A Survey of the Mental Health of UK Olympic and Paralympic Sport Athletes. Journal of Athlete Development and Experience, 4 (2). pp. 160-172.

Item Type: Article

Abstract

This study examined the prevalence of psychological distress and well-being amongst elite athletes in the UK. An online survey was emailed to 753 athletes within the English Institute
of Sport. Response rate 52.3%. 371 participants (median age 25) completed measures of psychological distress and subjective well-being alongside demographics and sport-related variables. High or very high psychological distress was reported by 23.7%. Poor subjective well-being was reported by 18.8%. Of those reporting psychological distress, 9% also
reported good subjective well-being. The odds of Psychological distress and poor well-being increased if the athlete was female (OR 2.03, distress; OR 2.00, poor well-being), currently injured or ill (OR 1.87; OR 1.93) or planning to retire (OR 4.74; OR 8.10). Likelihood of poor well-being increased if a non-podium athlete (OR 0.98). Paralympic sport athletes reported greater psychological distress than Olympic sport athletes (p = .040). Winter sport athletes reported higher psychological distress than summer sport athletes (p = .044).
Overall mean score (17.9, SD 6.5) was indicative of a moderate level of psychological distress. Mental health support plans should include regular athlete screening of both
psychological distress and subjective well-being.
Keywords: elite athlete, mental health, psychological distress, sport, well-being

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More Information

Uncontrolled Keywords: elite athlete, mental health, psychological distress, sport, well-being
Depositing User: Sandra Leyland

Identifiers

Item ID: 15962
Identification Number: https://doi.org/10.25035/jade.04.02.03
URI: http://sure.sunderland.ac.uk/id/eprint/15962
Official URL: https://scholarworks.bgsu.edu/jade/vol4/iss2/3

Users with ORCIDS

ORCID for Sandra Leyland: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-3998-0670
ORCID for Alan Currie: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0001-5617-4868
ORCID for Lisa Board: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-1244-0818
ORCID for Amit Mistry: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-9361-3900
ORCID for Rod Jaques: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-3783-0505
ORCID for Craig Ranson: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0003-1183-4636

Catalogue record

Date Deposited: 05 May 2023 13:43
Last Modified: 11 Jul 2023 08:02

Contributors

Author: Sandra Leyland ORCID iD
Author: Alan Currie ORCID iD
Author: Lisa Board ORCID iD
Author: Amit Mistry ORCID iD
Author: Rod Jaques ORCID iD
Author: Craig Ranson ORCID iD

University Divisions

Faculty of Health Sciences and Wellbeing > School of Nursing and Health Sciences > Department of Sport and Excercise Sciences

Subjects

Sciences > Sport Sciences

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