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Giurgiu LR, Damian C, Sabău AM, Caciora T, Călin FM. Depression Related to COVID-19, Coping, and Hopelessness in Sports Students. Brain Sci 2024; 14:563. [PMID: 38928563 PMCID: PMC11202196 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci14060563] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2024] [Revised: 05/21/2024] [Accepted: 05/29/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
This study aimed to explore the impact of the first two waves of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental and physical states of sports students from Romania and also to compare the differences according to gender and the type of sport. Initially, in order to collect demographic data and health reports, a cross-sectional survey was developed to evaluate the emotional needs of sports students during the pandemic. After the second wave, the coping strategies used by the participants to fight negative emotions were assessed using the CERQ questionnaire. The results indicate that depression symptoms are the most reported psychological issues among the participants and that there are differences according to gender concerning the cognitive schemas they use in order to reduce the symptoms. Also, it was found that there are differences, corresponding to the type of sport, in choosing adaptive coping mechanisms. Ultimately, it was confirmed that higher levels of hopelessness among sports students are associated with increased vulnerability to substance use, with the correlation between those two indicators being strong. Delving deeper into this relationship can help identify critical points for intervention to prevent substance abuse. At the same time, the dichotomic analysis of the results found as moderators-the gender and the type of sport in decreasing the severity of depression could be an important aspect of the next counseling interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Rodica Giurgiu
- Department of Psychology and Education Sciences, Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences, Ovidius University of Constanta, 900527 Constanta, Romania; (L.R.G.); (F.M.C.)
| | - Cosmin Damian
- Department of Physical Education, Sport and Kinetotherapy, Faculty of Physical Education and Sport, Ovidius University of Constanta, 900527 Constanta, Romania;
| | - Anca Maria Sabău
- Department of Physical Education, Sport and Kinetotherapy, Faculty of Geography, Tourism and Sport, University of Oradea, 410087 Oradea, Romania;
| | - Tudor Caciora
- Department of Geography, Tourism and Territorial Planning, Faculty of Geography, Tourism and Sport, University of Oradea, 1 Universitatii Street, 410087 Oradea, Romania
| | - Floricica Mariana Călin
- Department of Psychology and Education Sciences, Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences, Ovidius University of Constanta, 900527 Constanta, Romania; (L.R.G.); (F.M.C.)
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2
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Assa R, Reizer A. Professional Athletes' Well-Being: New Challenges in Post-COVID-19 Times. Behav Sci (Basel) 2023; 13:831. [PMID: 37887481 PMCID: PMC10604620 DOI: 10.3390/bs13100831] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2023] [Revised: 10/02/2023] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 period was characterized as a traumatic period throughout the world. During the pandemic, sports organizations had to adapt to government rules and social distancing measures frequently and faced a challenging and complex period in keeping their athletes on a normal routine. Many athletes faced uncertainty regarding their present and future competitive context and personal worries, similar to society during the pandemic. Consequently, adverse effects on the mental health and well-being of athletes were reported in individual and team sports. This review seeks to explore the perceived impact of COVID-19 on athletes' well-being and future considerations. This review suggests professional athletes' well-being should receive more attention and will be addressed in the future for the benefit of the athletes and not just in favor of performance. Moreover, the emphasis on evidence-based psychological support such as stress management and athletes' well-being in a high-performance sport context should increase. The post-COVID-19 period highlights the importance of broadening athletic identity into a more holistic scope that includes life-performance balance and personal values outside the sporting context. Lastly, developing and fostering resilience is complex yet fundamental for systems, when considering athletes' personal context and providing them with professional skills outside of their professional domain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ran Assa
- Department of Psychology and Behavioral Sciences, Ariel University, Ariel 40700, Israel;
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3
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Darroch FE, Smith SVM, Sheppard-Perkins MD, Giles AR, Wykes D. Exploring the stress of olympic postponement due to COVID-19 on elite/international and world-class parenting and pregnant runners. Front Sports Act Living 2023; 5:1001127. [PMID: 37113985 PMCID: PMC10127675 DOI: 10.3389/fspor.2023.1001127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2022] [Accepted: 03/20/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The primary objective of this community-based participatory research is to explore the impacts of COVID-19 and the delayed Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games on world-class and elite/international-class parenting and pregnant athletes. Participants in this study include 11 female and 10 male parenting and/or pregnant middle and distance runners. Combined, the participants have competed at 26 Olympic Games and 31 World Championships. Drawing on the general concepts of stressors and psychological resilience, we use thematic analysis to develop four themes to understand the stressors for world-class and elite/international-class parenting and pregnant athletes due to COVID-19 and the delayed Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games: (1) lack of childcare support, (2) family planning, and (3) needing to stay away from sources of COVID-including their children. Despite the stressors identified in the aforementioned themes, we identified a fourth theme: (4) participants demonstrated adaptability to stress in spite of-or due to-their athlete-parent identities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francine E. Darroch
- Department of Health Sciences, Faculty of Science, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Correspondence: Francine E. Darroch
| | - Sydney V. M. Smith
- School of Human Kinetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | | | - Audrey R. Giles
- School of Human Kinetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Dylan Wykes
- Mile2Marathon Coaching Inc., Ottawa, ON, Canada
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4
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Dithurbide L, Boudreault V, Durand-Bush N, MacLeod L, Gauthier V. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Canadian national team athletes’ mental performance and mental health: The perspectives of mental performance consultants and mental health practitioners. Front Psychol 2022; 13:937962. [PMID: 36059762 PMCID: PMC9435585 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.937962] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2022] [Accepted: 06/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 global pandemic has led to significant disruptions in the lives of high-performance athletes, including the postponement of the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games, the cancellation of many international and national competitions, and drastic changes in athletes’ daily training environment. The purpose of this research was to examine the interplay between the mental health and mental performance of Canadian national team athletes and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on these variables from the perspective of mental performance consultants and mental health practitioners. Twelve individuals working in these roles with national team athletes participated in focus groups and interviews during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada. Findings from the inductive reflexive thematic analysis revealed three main themes: (a) factors impacting athlete mental health (i.e., social and environmental, psychological, and public health restrictions), (b) consequences of COVID-19 for athletes (low mood symptoms, anxiety and stress symptoms, maladaptive behaviors, time for life outside of sport, rest, and recovery), and (c) impact of the pandemic on practitioners (roles, preparation and resources, gaps, and well-being). Interestingly, athletes with prior good mental performance skills were perceived to be more equipped to cope with challenges related to the pandemic, which concurrently seemed to facilitate good mental health throughout the pandemic. Furthermore, even though the pandemic had several debilitative consequences on athletes’ mental health, it imposed a break from training and competition that allowed them to rest and enjoy their life outside of sport. Finally, participants discussed the need for more mental health resources and better access to practitioners supporting mental performance and mental health in the Canadian sport system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lori Dithurbide
- School of Health and Human Performance, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
- *Correspondence: Lori Dithurbide,
| | - Véronique Boudreault
- Faculté des Sciences de l’Activité Physique, University of Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
| | | | - Lucy MacLeod
- School of Health and Human Performance, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Véronique Gauthier
- Département de psychologie, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières, QC, Canada
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Lundqvist C, Kristiansen E. Lockdown and No Lockdown: How Norwegian and Swedish Elite Athletes Managed Preparations for Tokyo 2020 and Mental Health Challenges in the Shadow of COVID-19. Front Sports Act Living 2022; 4:918825. [PMID: 35982760 PMCID: PMC9378964 DOI: 10.3389/fspor.2022.918825] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2022] [Accepted: 06/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The present study explored Norwegian and Swedish Olympic aspirants' perceived challenges for the preparations of Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games (OG) and risk and protective factors for mental health. The focus for this study was the timespan between the declaration of the postponement of Tokyo 2020 and the final months before the Games. A secondary purpose was to explore experiences of both elite athletes affected by lockdown (i.e., Norwegian athletes) and elite athletes not affected by lockdown in their home country (i.e., Swedish athletes). Twelve elite athletes (Norwegian: n = 6; Swedish: n = 6; Women: n = 6; Men: n = 6) with a mean age of 28.25 (SD = 3.60) participated. Semi-structured interviews were conducted between April and June 2021. Seven athletes had qualified and five were still trying to qualify. Eight of the interviewed athletes had previous experiences with OG participation. Template analysis revealed two main themes: (a) challenges and risk-factors for mental health and (b) protective factors. The pandemic exposed athletes to several psychological strains like uncertainty and difficulties with planning and preparations for the OG and personal and social challenges (i.e., worry about physical health and risk of overtraining, social contacts, identity, and life issues). Protective factors included perceived benefits of increased recovery and time for quality training. The athletes used several coping strategies and self-care behaviors (e.g., focus on the controllable, playfulness, putting sports in perspective, daily routines, short-term goals, working or studying for personal development) and they tapped into various internal and external psychosocial resources perceived as protective for mental health, personal growth, resiliency, and adjustment to the pandemic. The holistic perspectives used contribute to an increased understanding of elite sport athletes' mental health needs in stressful and unforeseen situations such as a pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolina Lundqvist
- Department of Behavioral Sciences and Learning, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
- Athletics Research Center, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
- *Correspondence: Carolina Lundqvist
| | - Elsa Kristiansen
- Department of Business, Strategy and Political Science, USN School of Business, University of South-Eastern, Drammen, Norway
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Postlockdown Performance in French Swimming Championships. Int J Sports Physiol Perform 2022; 17:1196-1204. [PMID: 35690394 DOI: 10.1123/ijspp.2021-0514] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2021] [Revised: 04/04/2022] [Accepted: 04/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE To measure the proportion of French swimmers that progressed, stagnated, or regressed during the 2020 national championship compared with previous ones. METHOD Individual best performances were collected at the French national championships from 2000 to 2020. Yearly proportions of swimmers who improved, stagnated, or regressed in performances were compared with their previous performances. RESULTS In 2020, the proportion of swimmers with performance regression has significantly increased (33% vs 17% in 2019). Women showed a higher proportion of performance regression (41%) than men (26%, P < .0001) in 2020. Only 39% of women and 53% of men experienced progression in 2020 (vs 60.8% [3.7%] and 66.7% [5.2%], respectively, in the previous years). Only the 2008 and 2009 championships showed a regression proportion that did not increase with age. The 2010 championship (the year of swimsuits ban) showed a higher proportion of regressing athletes than these previous years. Long-distance events showed higher proportion of performance regression (36.2% [0.5%]) for 400-, 800-, and 1500-m races than for short-distance ones (32.1% [3.2%]; 50-, 100-, and 200-m events). Breaststroke events showed higher regression (42.4%) than other styles (30.5% [2.1%]). Younger swimmers more often improved their performance than older ones (61.9% [8.5%] for swimmers less than 18 y of age vs 20.0% [10.8%] for those 25 y and older). CONCLUSION A high proportion of swimmers experienced performance regression during the 2020 French national championships. A higher impact was observed among female, long-distance, and breaststroke swimmers. Eight weeks of lockdown without training may have led to poorer swimming performances.
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Schneider F, Runer A, Burkert F, Aspang JSU, Reider S, Schneider H, Pocecco E. Digital Workout Versus Team Training: The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Athletes. Sports Med Int Open 2022; 6:E18-E24. [PMID: 35462685 PMCID: PMC9023314 DOI: 10.1055/a-1734-5457] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2021] [Accepted: 12/20/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The aim of the study was to assess the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on sport practice and to identify measures adopted by individuals and sports organizations to allow a safe return to community sports. An electronic survey was launched worldwide in June 2020 in the German and English languages. The questionnaire collected anonymous data on sporting activity before, during, and after pandemic-induced confinement. Participants classified themselves as either recreational, competitive, or professional sports level athletes. A total of 1336 adults (30.5±11.7 years; 54.0% women) participated in the survey; 68.5% were active athletes, 10.1% coaches, 2.1% officials and 4.3% related medical staff, 3.6% had another function, and 11.4% indicated no regular sports activity. Most participants practiced their sport in Europe (93.8%); the majority (61.0%) was amateur athletes. During confinement, 15.7% could perform their main sport unrestricted, 43.5% stated a reduced amount of time spent on sporting activities, 46.4% a reduced intensity level. Most participants (77.5%) were neither aware of screening measures nor of guidelines for dealing with infected athletes (80.0%) or for return to sports after a coronavirus infection (88.6%). Preventive measures mentioned included basic hygiene, measures to reduce personal contacts or virus transmission, or to improve traceability of infections. During confinement, a higher age (p=0.004) and training in a club setting (p<0.001) were associated with reduced sporting activity, while the availability of online training (p=0.030 ) was linked to both increased extent and intensity levels. A lower age (p=0.001) and recreational sports level (p=0.005) were associated with decreased activity after confinement. Although isolation can be necessary to protect public health, it alters the amount and intensity of physical activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Friedemann Schneider
- University Hospital for Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Medical University Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Armin Runer
- University Hospital for Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Medical University Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Francesco Burkert
- Department of Internal Medicine II, Infectious Diseases, Pneumology, Rheumatology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | | | - Simon Reider
- Department of Internal Medicine I, Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Endocrinology & Metabolism, Christian Doppler Laboratory for Mucosal Immunology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Holm Schneider
- Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Elena Pocecco
- Sport Science, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
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Costa S, De Gregorio E, Zurzolo L, Santi G, Ciofi EG, Di Gruttola F, Morgilli L, Montesano C, Cavallerio F, Bertollo M, di Fronso S. Athletes and Coaches through the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative View of Goal Management. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph19095085. [PMID: 35564479 PMCID: PMC9103465 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19095085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2022] [Revised: 04/09/2022] [Accepted: 04/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Since the end of 2019 and throughout 2020, the world has been devastated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The sports world suddenly had to deal with a massive reorganization of events with important implications for the physical and psychological preparation of athletes and coaches. The purpose of this study was to explore how these changes impacted coaches’ and athletes’ goal-setting strategies and their experience of goal adjustment. As part of a wider mixed-method project involving 2162 coaches and 1354 athletes, an online qualitative survey was used, and data collected were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis. Findings highlighted three overarching themes, in response to goal adjustment: “Moving on toward new goals”, “Letting go of goals”, and “Trying to hold on”, with several themes and sub-themes identifying different nuances of athletes’ and coaches’ experiences. The implications of such findings for the mental preparation of high-level athletes are discussed in two ways. Firstly, in light of existing literature on goal setting from an applied perspective; secondly, in the broader perspective of the sports culture and the application of our themes to other challenging moments that sports professionals might encounter.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergio Costa
- Independent Researcher, 00165 Rome, Italy; (S.C.); (G.S.); (E.G.C.); (L.M.)
| | - Eugenio De Gregorio
- Department of Life and Health Sciences, Link Campus University, 00165 Rome, Italy;
| | - Lisa Zurzolo
- Department of Education, University of Genoa, 16128 Genova, Italy;
| | - Giampaolo Santi
- Independent Researcher, 00165 Rome, Italy; (S.C.); (G.S.); (E.G.C.); (L.M.)
| | | | | | - Luana Morgilli
- Independent Researcher, 00165 Rome, Italy; (S.C.); (G.S.); (E.G.C.); (L.M.)
| | - Cristina Montesano
- Department of Neuroscience, Imaging and Clinical Sciences, University “G. d’Annunzio” of Chieti-Pescara, 66100 Chieti, Italy;
| | - Francesca Cavallerio
- School of Psychology and Sport Sciences, Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge CB1 1PT, UK;
| | - Maurizio Bertollo
- Department of Medicine and Aging Sciences, University “G. d’Annunzio” of Chieti-Pescara, 66100 Chieti, Italy;
- Correspondence:
| | - Selenia di Fronso
- Department of Medicine and Aging Sciences, University “G. d’Annunzio” of Chieti-Pescara, 66100 Chieti, Italy;
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Jia L, Carter MV, Cusano A, Li X, Kelly JD, Bartley JD, Parisien RL. The Effect of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Mental and Emotional Health of Athletes: A Systematic Review. Am J Sports Med 2022:3635465221087473. [PMID: 35413208 DOI: 10.1177/03635465221087473] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has caused the cancellation or postponement of virtually every sporting event, resulting in training disruptions, income loss, and career uncertainties for athletes around the world. At present, the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental and emotional health of athletes is not well understood. PURPOSE To investigate the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental and emotional health of athletes and to identify risk factors associated with poor mental health outcomes. STUDY DESIGN Systematic review; Level of evidence, 4. METHODS The PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases were searched to identify all articles reporting on athletes' mental and emotional health during the COVID-19 pandemic. Articles were selected based on relevant inclusion and exclusion criteria. Study characteristics, athlete demographics, and COVID-19 mental health data (sex-, type of sport-, and level of play-specific differences) were collected from each included article and analyzed. RESULTS A total of 35 studies were included in the final analysis, comprising athletes around the world and across numerous sports and levels of play. Most studies utilized at least 1 validated mental health questionnaire and assessed for outcomes such as depression, anxiety, stress, motivation, and athletic identity. Overall, athletes reported worse mental and emotional health during the COVID-19 pandemic, although these effects were attenuated by home training programs and quarantine training camps. Female sex and more elite levels of play were associated with an increased risk for poor mental health outcomes. Type of sport was associated with mixed results, with individual and team sports carrying different increased risks for poor mental and emotional health. Nearly all studies recommended the need for increased psychological support of athletes during the COVID-19 pandemic. CONCLUSION The effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental and emotional health of athletes is complex and multifaceted. Increased social interactions with coaches and teammates, continued access to training facilities and mental health professionals, and active utilization of healthy coping mechanisms can improve mental health outcomes for athletes in the era of COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lori Jia
- Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Michael V Carter
- Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | | | - Xinning Li
- Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - John D Kelly
- University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | | | - Robert L Parisien
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Sports Medicine, Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
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Lambert C, Schuetz LM, Rice S, Purcell R, Stoll T, Trajdos M, Ritzmann R, Böhm AL, Walz M. Depressive symptoms among Olympic athletes during the Covid-19 pandemic. BMC Sports Sci Med Rehabil 2022; 14:36. [PMID: 35272675 PMCID: PMC8908745 DOI: 10.1186/s13102-022-00427-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2021] [Accepted: 02/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Objectives The aim of this study was to analyze athlete-specific psychological strain among Olympic athletes following the postponement of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic games due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods A survey that comprised three sub-sections (Psychological Strain Questionnaire (APSQ), Patient Health Questionnaire—Depression Module (PHQ-8) and Participant characteristic) concerning mental health, performance issues and concerns about the postponement of the Tokyo Olympics, was distributed online and sent to 102 Olympic athletes. Results A total of 85 participants from 11 Olympic sports were enrolled. Results indicated that most athletes showed psychological strain related to concerns regarding the postponement of the Tokyo Olympics. Depression severity was positively associated with maladaptive avoidance coping patterns, negative effects in training, worries and fear. Depression severity was also negatively associated with motivation and adaptive factors such as chances and opportunities that can be drawn from the pandemic. Conclusion The present sample of Olympic athletes reported suffering from psychological uncertainty associated with the postponement of the Olympic games. Sports federations should therefore, provide ongoing wellbeing support to athletes and offer them, for example, sports psychological support in order to be able to better deal with pandemic-related uncertainties and changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christophe Lambert
- Department of Trauma and Orthopedic Surgery, Cologne Merheim Medical Center, University of Witten/Herdecke, Classen-Kappelmann Str. 25, 50931, Cologne, Germany.
| | - Lisa-Marie Schuetz
- Institute of Sports and Sports Sciences, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Simon Rice
- Orygen, Parkville, Australia.,Centre for Youth Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Rosemary Purcell
- Centre for Youth Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Theresa Stoll
- TUM School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Martyna Trajdos
- Institute of Movement Therapy and Movement-Oriented Prevention and Rehabilitation, German Sport University Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Ramona Ritzmann
- Department of Sports and Sports Sciences, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Anna-Lena Böhm
- Faculty of Psychology, Distance University of Hagen, Hagen, Germany
| | - Martin Walz
- Chair of Sport Psychology, TUM Department of Sport and Health Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
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Demarie S, Chirico E, Galvani C. Prediction and Analysis of Tokyo Olympic Games Swimming Results: Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Swimmers' Performance. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:2110. [PMID: 35206298 PMCID: PMC8871566 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19042110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2022] [Revised: 02/05/2022] [Accepted: 02/09/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the 2019-2020 season, swimming competitions and training have been limited leading to a setback in performances. The study analyzed if, during the subsequent season, swimmers' have been able to regain the lost performance. Swimming time trends were analyzed comparing Tokyo with Rio Olympics and with mathematically predicted results. The gap between the gold medalist and the last finalist, and the differences between men and women have also been considered. Swimming competition results of females and males, in 100 m and 200 m Freestyle and Backstroke, were collected from the Olympics' official website. Results showed that at Tokyo Olympics almost all swimmers' times improved as compared to Rio's. Analysis of performance trends highlighted that performance progression does not proceed in a linear fashion and that is best predicted by more recent results. Women's progression was higher than men's and the gap between the first and last finalist constantly decreased, except for the Tokyo Olympics. In conclusion, the unprecedented Tokyo Olympic Games and qualification year seems not to have disrupted all Olympic swimmers' performance, suggesting that stakeholders support and athlete's coping ability might safeguard the subsistence of performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabrina Demarie
- Department of Movement, Human and Health Sciences, University of Rome “Foro Italico”, 00135 Roma, Italy;
| | - Emanuele Chirico
- Department of Movement, Human and Health Sciences, University of Rome “Foro Italico”, 00135 Roma, Italy;
| | - Christel Galvani
- Applied Exercise Physiology Laboratory, Department of Psychology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 20123 Milano, Italy;
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Bizjak DA, Treff G, Zügel M, Schumann U, Winkert K, Schneider M, Abendroth D, Steinacker JM. Differences in Immune Response During Competition and Preparation Phase in Elite Rowers. Front Physiol 2022; 12:803863. [PMID: 34975545 PMCID: PMC8718927 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2021.803863] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2021] [Accepted: 11/24/2021] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: Metabolic stress is high during training and competition of Olympic rowers, but there is a lack of biomedical markers allowing to quantify training load on the molecular level. We aimed to identify such markers applying a complex approach involving inflammatory and immunologic variables. Methods: Eleven international elite male rowers (age 22.7 ± 2.4 yrs.; VO2max 71 ± 5 ml·min-1·kg-1) of the German National Rowing team were monitored at competition phase (COMP) vs. preparation phase (PREP), representing high vs. low load. Perceived stress and recovery were assessed by a Recovery Stress Questionnaire for Athletes (RESTQ-76 Sport). Immune cell activation (dendritic cell (DC)/macrophage/monocytes/T-cells) was evaluated via fluorescent activated cell sorting. Cytokines, High-Mobility Group Protein B1 (HMGB1), cell-free DNA (cfDNA), creatine kinase (CK), uric acid (UA), and kynurenine (KYN) were measured in venous blood. Results: Rowers experienced more general stress and less recovery during COMP, but sports-related stress and recovery did not differ from PREP. During COMP, DC/macrophage/monocyte and T-regulatory cells (Treg-cell) increased (p = 0.001 and 0.010). HMGB1 and cfDNA increased in most athletes during COMP (p = 0.001 and 0.048), while CK, UA, and KYN remained unaltered (p = 0.053, 0.304, and 0.211). Pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-1β (p = 0.002), TNF-α (p < 0.001), and the chemokine IL-8 (p = 0.001) were elevated during COMP, while anti-inflammatory Il-10 was lower (p = 0.002). Conclusion: COMP resulted in an increase in biomarkers reflecting tissue damage, with plausible evidence of immune cell activation that appeared to be compensated by anti-inflammatory mechanisms, such as Treg-cell proliferation. We suggest an anti-inflammatory and immunological matrix approach to optimize training load quantification in elite athletes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Alexander Bizjak
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Sports and Rehabilitation Medicine, University Hospital Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Gunnar Treff
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Sports and Rehabilitation Medicine, University Hospital Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Martina Zügel
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Sports and Rehabilitation Medicine, University Hospital Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Uwe Schumann
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Sports and Rehabilitation Medicine, University Hospital Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Kay Winkert
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Sports and Rehabilitation Medicine, University Hospital Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Marion Schneider
- Department of Anaesthesiology, Division of Experimental Anaesthesiology, University Hospital Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | | | - Jürgen Michael Steinacker
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Sports and Rehabilitation Medicine, University Hospital Ulm, Ulm, Germany
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13
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Costa MJ, Garrido ND, Marinho DA, Santos CC. How Much the Swimming Performance Leading to Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games Was Impaired Due to the Covid-19 Lockdown? J Sports Sci Med 2021; 20:714-720. [PMID: 35321138 DOI: 10.52082/jssm.2021.714] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2021] [Accepted: 08/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
The aim of this study was to analyze the progression and stability in the performance of world-ranked swimmers from 2015 to 2020, and the impairment induced by the COVID-19 lockdown. An observational retrospective design over five consecutive competitive seasons was selected. FINA's male Top-50 who were qualified for the Tokyo Olympic Games were considered in freestyle, backstroke, backstroke, and butterfly events. A total of 515 male swimmers and 2060 season-best performances were analyzed. All data was retrieved from two open-access and public websites (Swimrankings and Swimcloud). Repeated measures ANOVA followed by the Bonferroni post-hoc test was performed to analyze the variation between seasons. Stabilization in performance was assessed using spearman correlation coefficients. A significant improvement in performance ≈0.5-2.5% was found in most of the strokes and race distances until the 2018-2019 season. The 2020 lockdown impaired the performance by 1-2%. Moderate to high associations were found in the 2017-2018 season when considering the 2019-2020 performance. The breaststroke was the only stroke with a moderate-high stability (r > 0.40) in all race distances considering the overall time period. It can be concluded that world-ranked swimmers' performance was impaired by 1-2% due to the COVID-19 lockdown, returning to levels that were reached two years earlier.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mário J Costa
- Department of Sport Sciences, Polytechnic Institute of Guarda, Guarda, Portugal.,Research Center in Sports Sciences, Health Sciences and Human Development (CIDESD), Vila Real, Portugal
| | - Nuno D Garrido
- Research Center in Sports Sciences, Health Sciences and Human Development (CIDESD), Vila Real, Portugal.,Department of Sport Sciences, Exercise and Health, University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro, Vila Real, Portugal
| | - Daniel A Marinho
- Research Center in Sports Sciences, Health Sciences and Human Development (CIDESD), Vila Real, Portugal.,Department of Sport Sciences, University of Beira Interior, Covilhã, Portugal
| | - Catarina C Santos
- Department of Sport Sciences, Polytechnic Institute of Guarda, Guarda, Portugal.,Research Center in Sports Sciences, Health Sciences and Human Development (CIDESD), Vila Real, Portugal.,Department of Sport Sciences, University of Beira Interior, Covilhã, Portugal
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14
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Buckley GL, Hall LE, Lassemillante ACM, Belski R. Disordered eating & body image of current and former athletes in a pandemic; a convergent mixed methods study - What can we learn from COVID-19 to support athletes through transitions? J Eat Disord 2021; 9:73. [PMID: 34167589 PMCID: PMC8223527 DOI: 10.1186/s40337-021-00427-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2021] [Accepted: 06/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The COVID-19 pandemic has seen worsened mental health as a result of lockdowns, isolation and changes to sociocultural functioning. The postponement of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics is representative of global cancellations of sporting events, reduced facility access and support restrictions that have affected both current and former athlete's psychological wellbeing. This study aimed to determine whether current (n = 93) and former (n = 111) athletes experienced worsened body image, relationship with food or eating disorder symptomatology during acute COVID-19 transitions. METHODS The study was a Convergent Mixed Methods design whereby qualitative content analysis was collected and analysed simultaneously with quantitative cross-sectional data using the EAT-26 and self-report COVID-19 questions. Data were collected from April until May 2020 to capture data pertaining to transitions related to the pandemic and included individuals across 41 different individual and team sports from club to international competition levels. RESULTS There was a surge in disordered eating in current and former athletes as a result of the early COVID-19 response. Eating disorders were suggested to occur in 21.1% of participants (18% current athletes n = 17, 25% former athletes (n = 26). There was a significant difference between males and females (p = 0.018, r = 0.17), but interestingly no differences between groups from individual vs team sports, type of sporting category (endurance, antigravitational, ball sport, power, technical and aesthetic) or level of competition (club, state, national or international). 34.8% (n = 69) self-reported worsened body image and 32.8% (n = 65) self-reported a worsened food relationship directly from COVID-19. Qualitative analysis indicated that disordered eating occurred predominantly in the form of body preoccupation, inhibitory food control, fear of body composition changes and binge eating. CONCLUSIONS This study indicates that transitions in COVID-19 have worsened food-body relationships in current and former athletes and must be treated as an at-risk time for eating disorder development. We suggest that resources are allocated appropriately to assist athletes to foster psychologically positive food and body relationships through COVID-19 transitions. This study makes practice suggestions in supporting athletes to manage control, seek support, adapt and accept change and promote connection and variety through athletic transitions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Georgina Louise Buckley
- Department of Nursing and Allied Health, Swinburne University of Technology, John St, Hawthorn, Victoria 3122 Australia
- Charles Perkins Centre, Inside Out Institute, Sydney University, John Hopkins Drive, Camperdown, New South Wales 2050 Australia
| | | | - Annie-Claude M. Lassemillante
- Department of Nursing and Allied Health, Swinburne University of Technology, John St, Hawthorn, Victoria 3122 Australia
| | - Regina Belski
- Department of Nursing and Allied Health, Swinburne University of Technology, John St, Hawthorn, Victoria 3122 Australia
- Department of Dietetics, Human Nutrition and Sport, LaTrobe University, Bundoora, Victoria 3083 Australia
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15
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Tennis Coaches’ Perceptions of Covid-19 Impact on Their Health and Professional Activity: A Multi-Cultural Approach. SUSTAINABILITY 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/su13105554] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Tennis coaches are facing considerable challenges as the game is disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The long tradition of tennis in the Latin American region and in Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking European countries makes comparing these regions particularly interesting. The purpose of this research was to study the perceptions of Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking tennis coaches working in Latin American and European countries regarding the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on their health, professional, and economic circumstances. The perceptions of 655 coaches from 19 Latin American and European countries were collected using an ad-hoc questionnaire. Coaches reported on the incidence of the virus in terms of infection and quarantine, the impact on their coaching programs, and on their professional development, training, and education. They were also asked about their perception of the overall situation as a threat. The results showed that the COVID-19 pandemic has had a considerable impact on the health and the profession of tennis coaches. Although Latin American coaches reported a greater impact on their health, economic, and professional circumstances, they viewed the pandemic as an opportunity for professional improvement and training as compared to the perceptions of European coaches. In light of these results, implications, practical applications, and future research are proposed.
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