Athletic identity and psychiatric symptoms following retirement from varsity sports

Zarina A Giannone, Colleen J Haney, David Kealy and John S Ogrodniczuk

International Journal of Social Psychiatry, 2017, vol. 63, issue 7, 598-601

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.

Keywords: Athletic identity; sport retirement; psychiatric distress; athlete mental health; sport transition; varsity sport (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2017
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:sae:socpsy:v:63:y:2017:i:7:p:598-601

DOI: 10.1177/0020764017724184

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