Reinjury anxiety, coping, and return-to-sport outcomes: a multiple mediation analysis

This study aimed to examine whether the dimensions of reinjury anxiety (i.e., intensity, frequency, and direction) predicted perceived return-to-sport outcomes and whether coping mediated this relationship.

Using a cross-sectional research design, 335 participants (M age = 23.5; SD = 6.6) who had sustained a sports-related injury preventing participation in training and competition for a minimum of 4 weeks (M time loss = 98 days; SD = 96.8) completed measures of reinjury anxiety (RIA-RE subscale of the Reinjury Anxiety Inventory (RIAI); Walker, Thatcher, & Lavallee, 2010), coping (MCOPE; Crocker & Graham, 1995), and perceived return-to-sport outcomes (RSSIQ; Podlog & Eklund, 2005). Pearson product-moment correlation and Preacher and Hayes's (2008) bootstrapping procedure were used to analyze the data.

Consistent with our hypotheses, results indicated a positive relationship between reinjury anxiety (intensity and frequency) and heightened return concerns, whereas reinjury anxiety interpreted as facilitative toward postinjury performance was associated with a positive renewed perspective on sport participation. Significant indirect effects for coping were found for wishful thinking, venting of emotions, denial, and behavioral disengagement.

Future avenues of research that aim to provide a greater knowledge and understanding of the relationship between reinjury anxiety and return-to-sport outcomes are discussed, including the need for alternative theoretical perspectives and diverse methodologies.