Social (Un)distancing: Teammate Interactions, Athletic Identity, and Mental Health of Student-Athletes During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Purpose Physical distancing measures to combat the spread of the novel coronavirus have presented challenges for the mental health and well-being of college students. As campus activities ceased, student-athletes abruptly became isolated from teammates and were no longer able to participate in sport activities that are often central to their identity as an athlete. However, student-athletes who have supportive social connections with teammates during this pandemic may maintain their athletic identity to a greater extent and report better mental health. The present study examined how student-athletes’ mental health was associated with teammate social support, connectedness, and changes to athletic identity from before to during COVID-19. Method A sample of 234 student-athletes completed surveys before COVID-19 physical distancing (February 2020), with 135 (63% female) participating in a follow-up in the month following school closures (April 2020). Path models estimated the effects of teammate social support and connectedness (during COVID-19), as well as changes in athletic identity on indices of mental health. Results Considering all path models tested, student-athletes who received more social support and reported more connectedness with teammates reported less dissolution of their athletic identity and—in most models—reported better mental health and well-being. Indirect effects indicated that student-athletes’ change in athletic identity mediated the effects of teammate social support on psychological well-being and depression symptoms. Conclusions In addition to advancing theory on how small groups relate to mental health, these findings demonstrate the value in remaining socially connected with peers and maintaining role identities during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Non-pharmaceutical interventions during the COVID-19 pandemic: A review

“…However, the minority that did was affected by gambling problems and reported an increase in alcohol consumption. The toll of NPIs on sport activities has been quite significant for elite athletes [242] , [243] . Level of stress and anxiety have been observed, especially among women, and linked to worries about the future of the sport.…”

Where Did All the Sport Go? Negative Impact of COVID-19 Lockdown on Life-Spheres and Mental Health of Spanish Young Athletes

“…Research addressing the impact of this pandemic in sports identified specific challenges for athletes’ mental health during the lockdown, such as the difficulty in keeping training conditions ( Pillay et al, 2020 ), the social distancing from teammates ( Graupensperger et al, 2020 ), and the uncertainty regarding the delay or cancelation of future competitions ( Samuel et al, 2020 ). Despite most of these challenges are common for athletes of all ages and levels, research has mainly focused on high performance, professional, and/or Olympic/Paralympic athletes (see also Schinke et al, 2020a , b ; Stambulova et al, 2020 ), letting youth sports’ reality underexplored.…”

The effect of the detraining period caused by the COVID-19 pandemic on the change of direction performance of fencers

“…Previous studies provided important information about the negative effects of detraining periods on performance parameters [10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17]. For example, Morais et al [19] investigated the effect of an 11-week detraining period on some athletic performance components of swimmers and they found impaired performance.…”

“…-Indirect effects indicated that student-athletes' change in athletic identity mediated the effects of teammate social support on psychological well-being and depression symptoms [16].…”