TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2017//
TI  - Athletic identity and psychiatric symptoms following retirement from varsity sports
JO  - International journal of social psychiatry
A1  - Giannone, Zarina A.
A1  - Haney, Colleen J.
A1  - Kealy, David
A1  - Ogrodniczuk, John S.
SP  - 598
EP  - 601
VL  - 63
IS  - 7
N2  - 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. <br><br>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. <br><br>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. <br><br>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.<p />  <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 0020-7640
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0020764017724184
ID  - ref1
ER  -