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McLoughlin, E. 
ORCID: 0000-0003-3630-6055, Fletcher, D., Slavich, G.M., Arnold, R. and Moore, L.J.,
2021.
Cumulative lifetime stress exposure, depression, anxiety, and well-being in elite athletes: a mixed-method study.
Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 52: 101823.
ISSN 1469-0292
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Abstract
Research suggests that elite athletes are at increased risk of poor mental health, partly due to the intense demands associated with top-level sport. Despite growing interest in the topic, the factors that influence the mental health and well-being of elite athletes remain unclear. From a theoretical perspective, the accumulation of stress and adversity experienced over the life course may be an important factor. To investigate this possibility, we employed a mixed-method design to: (a) examine whether cumulative lifetime stress predicted depression, anxiety, and well-being in elite athletes; and (b) help explain why cumulative lifetime stress exposure might have resulted in poor mental health and well-being. Ninety-five elite athletes (Mage = 29.81, SD = 10.88) completed the Stress and Adversity Inventory, Patient Health Questionnaire, Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item scale, and the Scales of General Well-Being. Hierarchical regression analyses revealed that total count and severity of lifetime stressor exposure significantly predicted greater depression (β = .42, p < .001; β = .46, p < .001) and anxiety symptoms (β = .34, p = .003; β = .28, p = .018), and worse well-being (β = -.42, p < .001; β = -.30, p = .015). Semi-structured interviews were then conducted with six athletes. Thematic analysis revealed that cumulative lifetime stress exposure fostered poor mental health and well-being by promoting maladaptive long-term coping strategies, increasing susceptibility to future stress, and limiting interpersonal relationships. These findings can help practitioners identify, and intervene accordingly with, elite athletes at risk of experiencing stress-related mental health problems.
| Item Type: | Journal article | ||||||
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| Publication Title: | Psychology of Sport and Exercise | ||||||
| Creators: | McLoughlin, E., Fletcher, D., Slavich, G.M., Arnold, R. and Moore, L.J. | ||||||
| Publisher: | Elsevier BV | ||||||
| Date: | January 2021 | ||||||
| Volume: | 52 | ||||||
| ISSN: | 1469-0292 | ||||||
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| Divisions: | Schools > School of Science and Technology | ||||||
| Record created by: | Laura Ward | ||||||
| Date Added: | 08 Nov 2022 13:48 | ||||||
| Last Modified: | 08 Nov 2022 13:48 | ||||||
| URI: | https://irep.ntu.ac.uk/id/eprint/47348 |
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