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Published on: September 21, 2018
Athletic identity and psychiatric symptoms following retirement from varsity sports
Zarina A Giannone1, Colleen J Haney1, David Kealy2
11 Department of Educational and Counselling Psychology, and Special Education, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
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.
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