Commentary: Comparison of Athletes' Proneness to Depressive Symptoms in Individual and Team Sports: Research on Psychological Mediators in Junior Elite Athletes

Frontiers in Psychology

Anne-Marie Elbe¹ 

关键词: maladaptive perfectionism;    attributional style;    cohesion;    mental health;    depression;   

DOI  :  10.3389/fpsyg.2016.01782

学科分类：心理学（综合）

来源: Frontiers

【 摘 要 】

Depression, one of the most commonly diagnosed mental health disorders, is an emerging public health problem (Andersen et al., 2011). Depression is defined as frequently experienced depressive moods, loss of interest or pleasure, decreased energy, feelings of guilt or low self-worth, disturbed sleep or appetite, and poor concentration (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). As a consequence, depression increases physical distress and health problems, ultimately impairing functional well-being and quality of life (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). It has been estimated that approximately 15% of the population worldwide is at risk of developing depressive symptoms (Richards, 2011; Vilhelmsson, 2013). While research on depression in the general public is extensive, research on depression in the sport context, however, is limited. The few studies that do exist, outlined in Nixdorf et al.'s (2016) introduction, identified prevalence rates of 4–68%. A main research focus has been on sport's antidepressant function and how regular physical activity can reduce depressive symptoms, preventing the occurrence of depression (Babiss and Gangwisch, 2009). In line with this research it has been assumed that because elite athletes are so physically active they are immune to depression. Recent studies (Hammond et al., 2013; Gulliver et al., 2015) have, however, highlighted that elite athletes might be just as likely as non-athletes to experience depression, and that psychosocial benefits attributed to sport do not inherently occur through mere sport participation. Studies in the general population indicate that young people are especially at risk for depression due to the developmental challenges and life transitions they face (Suvisaari et al., 2009; Gulliver et al., 2015). Because junior elite athletes, who face the same developmental challenges as all other young people, are additionally confronted with challenges inherent in elite sports, research on depression in this specific population seems especially warranted.

【 授权许可】

CC BY