Citation

Giannone ZA, Haney CJ, Kealy D, Ogrodniczuk JS. Int. J. Soc. Psychiatry 2017; 63(7): 598-601.

Affiliation

Department of Psychiatry, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2017, SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1177/0020764017724184

PMID

28795636

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Despite evidence identifying adjustment difficulties among retiring athletes, research investigating factors that contribute to post-retirement complications is limited. Athletic identity may be an important determinant of adverse adaptation to sport retirement. AIMS: The purpose of this study was to address the influence of athletic identity on post-retirement depression and anxiety symptoms among varsity athletes.

METHOD: An anonymous, online survey regarding athletic identity and psychiatric symptoms was completed by 72 self-identified varsity athletes during their final season of competition and 3 months after retiring from sport.

RESULTS: After controlling for the effects of pre-retirement anxiety symptoms, endorsement of an athletic identity significantly predicted anxiety symptoms in the post-retirement period. A similar, but non-significant, pattern was observed for depressive symptoms.

CONCLUSION: The findings of this study suggest that athletes' degree of athletic identity may be a risk factor for the emergence of psychiatric distress in the months following their retirement from sport. Identity-focused screening or intervention during athletes' sport careers could potentially mitigate some of the psychological difficulties associated with sport retirement.

Language: en

Keywords

Athletic identity; athlete mental health; psychiatric distress; sport retirement; sport transition; varsity sport