Mental Health Status and Related Factors Among Visually Impaired Athletes

Abstract

BackgroundA growing body of pieces of evidence suggests that sport activity is of potential importance both for physical and mental health. To date, there is a lack of information and evidence regarding the mental health of visually impaired people playing some extent of sports and recognized as athletes with renowned career track. The present study aims to clarify the mental health status and its related factors in visually impaired athletes.MethodsThe current study was a questionnaire-based cross-sectional investigation. Visually impaired athletes (n = 81; men: 72.8%; average age: 32.8 ± 12.0 years) engaged in Paralympic sports events namely track and field (marathon), goalball, swimming, blind soccer, and judo were the study subjects from leading institutions in Japan. A diverse range of issues were included in a questionnaire survey like attributes, condition of visual impairment, competition activities, competition stressors, social support, and mental health status (recorded through the K6 scale). Logistic regression analyses were performed with mental health status as a dependent variable and other studied parameters as independent variables.ResultsA total of 21.0% of study participants (11.9% of men and 45.5% of women) showed bad mental health condition. Results of multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that “female” (odds ratio (OR) 11.94, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.60 - 54.76, P = 0.001), “higher evaluation from one’s surroundings for competition stressors” (OR 5.74, 95% CI 1.34 - 24.60, P = 0.019), and “lower social support from family members” (OR 3.97, 95% CI 1.03 - 15.25, P = 0.045) were the risk factors of bad mental health.ConclusionsThe mental health status among visually impaired athletes might be almost the same level as non-visually impaired athletes and general population, and have relation to gender, stress of evaluation from surroundings during competition, and social support from family members. It may be necessary to pay attention especially to women, and improve one’s surroundings of competition stressors and family social support to maintaining the mental health of visually impaired athletes.

A scoping review on Para Judo

“…Sex distribution was reported in five studies, 6,49–52 while only three investigations described the sample taking into account VI 6,49,52 . Only four studies were specifically focused on Para judo, 6,49,51,52 whereas the remaining seven included several Para sport modalities in their analysis 50,53–58 …”

“…On the one hand, it has been identified that para-judokas experienced important psychological implications when experiencing a sport injury and when returning to competition 51 . On the other hand, it has been found that 26% of the para-judokas who were asked about their mental health status showed bad mental health 57 . Finally, one study observed that para-judokas experienced lower levels of loneliness than other athletes with VI, such as goalball, futsal, and track and field athletes 58 .…”

“…51 On the other hand, it has been found that 26% of the para-judokas who were asked about their mental health status showed bad mental health. 57 Finally, one study observed that para-judokas experienced lower levels of loneliness than other athletes with VI, such as goalball, futsal, and track and field athletes. 58 Moreover, para-judokas exhibited lower levels than those people with VI who did not participate in sport competitions.…”

“…6,49,52 Only four studies were specifically focused on Para judo, 6,49,51,52 whereas the remaining seven included several Para sport modalities in their analysis. 50,[53][54][55][56][57][58] Eight studies aimed at describing injury patterns among para-judokas using either a prospective 6,50,[54][55][56] or retrospective methodology. 49,52,53 Data were gathered through interviewing para-judokas, 49,52 by the medical team, 50,[54][55][56] after watching videotaped combats 6 or by diagnostic imaging.…”

Study on the Level of Self-Esteem in Visually Impaired Students

“…Another study concluded that mental health of visually impaired athletes could be approximately the same as the mental health of non-visually impaired athletes and also of the general population, and be related to gender, stress during competition and support from family members (Kohda et al, 2019).…”