Mental Health in German Paralympic Athletes During the 1st Year of the COVID-19 Pandemic Compared to a General Population Sample
IntroductionThe COVID-19 pandemic has huge influences on daily life and is not only associated with physical but also with major psychological impacts. Mental health problems and disorders are frequently present in elite paralympic athletes. Due to the pandemic situation, new stressors (e.g., loss o...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2022-04-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Sports and Active Living |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fspor.2022.870692/full |
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| author | Aglaja Busch Aglaja Busch Aglaja Busch Eva Johanna Kubosch Antonia Bendau Rainer Leonhart Verena Meidl Berit Bretthauer Moritz Bruno Petzold Petra Dallmann Nina Wrobel Jens Plag Andreas Ströhle Anja Hirschmüller Anja Hirschmüller |
| author_facet | Aglaja Busch Aglaja Busch Aglaja Busch Eva Johanna Kubosch Antonia Bendau Rainer Leonhart Verena Meidl Berit Bretthauer Moritz Bruno Petzold Petra Dallmann Nina Wrobel Jens Plag Andreas Ströhle Anja Hirschmüller Anja Hirschmüller |
| author_sort | Aglaja Busch |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | IntroductionThe COVID-19 pandemic has huge influences on daily life and is not only associated with physical but also with major psychological impacts. Mental health problems and disorders are frequently present in elite paralympic athletes. Due to the pandemic situation, new stressors (e.g., loss of routine, financial insecurity) might act upon the athletes. Therefore, the assessment of mental health in athletes during the COVID-19 pandemic is important to identify prevalence of psychological problems and propose countermeasures.MethodsThe mental health of German paralympic athletes was longitudinally monitored (starting in May 2019). The athletes completed the Patient Health Questionnaire 4 (PHQ-4) on a weekly basis and reported a stress level, training hours, and training load. During the pandemic, 8 measurement time points (March 2020 to April 2021) were used to reflect the psychological health course of the athletes. In parallel, a convenience sample of the general population was questioned about their psychological distress, including the PHQ-4. To be included in the analysis, participants of both groups had to complete at least 4 measurement time points. Matching of the para-athletes and the general population sample was prioritized upon completion of the same measurement time points, gender, and age.ResultsSeventy-eight paralympic athletes (40 women, 38 men, age: 29.8 ± 11.4 years) met the inclusion criteria. Seventy-eight matched pairs of the general population (40 women; 38 men; age: 30.5 ± 10.9 years) were identified. The para-athletes had a significantly (p <0.0001; 0.39 < r <0.48) lower PHQ-4 value at each measurement time point compared to the matched control group. No significant age or sex differences were evident regarding the symptom burden. In para-athletes, no significant and a weak positive correlation was found between decreased training load and PHQ-4 values and a stress level, respectively. Reduced physical activity was significantly (p <0.0001) associated with higher PHQ-4 values in the general population sample.DiscussionLower PHQ-4 values were reported by the para-athletes compared to the general population sample. However, small sample sizes must be considered while interpreting the data. Nevertheless, adequate support for individuals suffering from severe psychopathological symptoms should be provided for para-athletes as well as for the general population. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T17:04:14Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-6942e1e1dbb64ca7806869cf2cb80021 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2624-9367 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T17:04:14Z |
| publishDate | 2022-04-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Sports and Active Living |
| spelling | doaj.art-6942e1e1dbb64ca7806869cf2cb800212022-12-22T02:38:33ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Sports and Active Living2624-93672022-04-01410.3389/fspor.2022.870692870692Mental Health in German Paralympic Athletes During the 1st Year of the COVID-19 Pandemic Compared to a General Population SampleAglaja Busch0Aglaja Busch1Aglaja Busch2Eva Johanna Kubosch3Antonia Bendau4Rainer Leonhart5Verena Meidl6Berit Bretthauer7Moritz Bruno Petzold8Petra Dallmann9Nina Wrobel10Jens Plag11Andreas Ströhle12Anja Hirschmüller13Anja Hirschmüller14Outpatient Clinic, Sport Medicine and Sports Orthopedics, University of Potsdam, Potsdam, GermanyDivision Physiotherapy, Department of Health Professions, Bern University of Applied Sciences, Bern, SwitzerlandDepartment of Orthopedics and Trauma Surgery, Medical Center—Albert-Ludwigs-University of Freiburg, Freiburg, GermanyDepartment of Orthopedics and Trauma Surgery, Medical Center—Albert-Ludwigs-University of Freiburg, Freiburg, GermanyDepartment of Psychiatry and Neurosciences CCM, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, GermanyDepartment of Psychology, Albert-Ludwigs-University of Freiburg, Freiburg, GermanyDepartment of Orthopedics and Trauma Surgery, Medical Center—Albert-Ludwigs-University of Freiburg, Freiburg, GermanyDepartment of Orthopedics and Trauma Surgery, Medical Center—Albert-Ludwigs-University of Freiburg, Freiburg, GermanyDepartment of Psychiatry and Neurosciences CCM, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, GermanyDepartment of General Psychiatry, Centre for Psychosocial Medicine, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, GermanyDepartment of Internal Medicine, Medical Center—Albert-Ludwigs-University of Freiburg, Freiburg, GermanyDepartment of Psychiatry and Neurosciences CCM, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, GermanyDepartment of Psychiatry and Neurosciences CCM, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, GermanyDepartment of Orthopedics and Trauma Surgery, Medical Center—Albert-Ludwigs-University of Freiburg, Freiburg, GermanyALTIUS Swiss Sportmed Center AG, Rheinfelden, SwitzerlandIntroductionThe COVID-19 pandemic has huge influences on daily life and is not only associated with physical but also with major psychological impacts. Mental health problems and disorders are frequently present in elite paralympic athletes. Due to the pandemic situation, new stressors (e.g., loss of routine, financial insecurity) might act upon the athletes. Therefore, the assessment of mental health in athletes during the COVID-19 pandemic is important to identify prevalence of psychological problems and propose countermeasures.MethodsThe mental health of German paralympic athletes was longitudinally monitored (starting in May 2019). The athletes completed the Patient Health Questionnaire 4 (PHQ-4) on a weekly basis and reported a stress level, training hours, and training load. During the pandemic, 8 measurement time points (March 2020 to April 2021) were used to reflect the psychological health course of the athletes. In parallel, a convenience sample of the general population was questioned about their psychological distress, including the PHQ-4. To be included in the analysis, participants of both groups had to complete at least 4 measurement time points. Matching of the para-athletes and the general population sample was prioritized upon completion of the same measurement time points, gender, and age.ResultsSeventy-eight paralympic athletes (40 women, 38 men, age: 29.8 ± 11.4 years) met the inclusion criteria. Seventy-eight matched pairs of the general population (40 women; 38 men; age: 30.5 ± 10.9 years) were identified. The para-athletes had a significantly (p <0.0001; 0.39 < r <0.48) lower PHQ-4 value at each measurement time point compared to the matched control group. No significant age or sex differences were evident regarding the symptom burden. In para-athletes, no significant and a weak positive correlation was found between decreased training load and PHQ-4 values and a stress level, respectively. Reduced physical activity was significantly (p <0.0001) associated with higher PHQ-4 values in the general population sample.DiscussionLower PHQ-4 values were reported by the para-athletes compared to the general population sample. However, small sample sizes must be considered while interpreting the data. Nevertheless, adequate support for individuals suffering from severe psychopathological symptoms should be provided for para-athletes as well as for the general population.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fspor.2022.870692/fullparalympic sportelite athletePHQ-4depressionanxietySARS-CoV-2 |
| spellingShingle | Aglaja Busch Aglaja Busch Aglaja Busch Eva Johanna Kubosch Antonia Bendau Rainer Leonhart Verena Meidl Berit Bretthauer Moritz Bruno Petzold Petra Dallmann Nina Wrobel Jens Plag Andreas Ströhle Anja Hirschmüller Anja Hirschmüller Mental Health in German Paralympic Athletes During the 1st Year of the COVID-19 Pandemic Compared to a General Population Sample Frontiers in Sports and Active Living paralympic sport elite athlete PHQ-4 depression anxiety SARS-CoV-2 |
| title | Mental Health in German Paralympic Athletes During the 1st Year of the COVID-19 Pandemic Compared to a General Population Sample |
| title_full | Mental Health in German Paralympic Athletes During the 1st Year of the COVID-19 Pandemic Compared to a General Population Sample |
| title_fullStr | Mental Health in German Paralympic Athletes During the 1st Year of the COVID-19 Pandemic Compared to a General Population Sample |
| title_full_unstemmed | Mental Health in German Paralympic Athletes During the 1st Year of the COVID-19 Pandemic Compared to a General Population Sample |
| title_short | Mental Health in German Paralympic Athletes During the 1st Year of the COVID-19 Pandemic Compared to a General Population Sample |
| title_sort | mental health in german paralympic athletes during the 1st year of the covid 19 pandemic compared to a general population sample |
| topic | paralympic sport elite athlete PHQ-4 depression anxiety SARS-CoV-2 |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fspor.2022.870692/full |
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