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Psychological Distress and Problem Gambling in Elite Athletes during COVID-19 Restrictions—A Web Survey in Top Leagues of Three Sports during the Pandemic

Author

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  • Anders Håkansson

    (Faculty of Medicine, Depterment of Clinical Sciences Lund, Psychiatry, Lund University, S-22100 Lund, Sweden
    Malmö Addiction Center, Clinical Sports and Mental Health Unit, S-20502 Malmö, Sweden)

  • Caroline Jönsson

    (Malmö Addiction Center, Clinical Sports and Mental Health Unit, S-20502 Malmö, Sweden
    FIFPRO (global representative for professional football players), Scorpious 161, NL-2132LR Hoofdorp, The Netherlands
    Spelarföreningen, Sweden (national representative for football players), Göteborgsvägen 84B, S-433 63 Sävedalen, Sweden)

  • Göran Kenttä

    (The Swedish School of Sport and Health Sciences, S-114 86 Stockholm, Sweden
    School of Human Kinetics, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5, Canada
    Swedish Sport Federation, S-100 61 Stockholm, Sweden)

Abstract

COVID-19 and lockdown strategies may affect mental health and addictive behavior differently in the population, and elite athletes are among the professions clearly affected by the pandemic. This study in top elite athletes aimed to study current perceived psychological influence from COVID-19 and symptoms of depression, anxiety and changes in alcohol drinking, gambling behavior and problem gambling in the midst of the COVID-19 lockdown. This web survey included athletes in top leagues of soccer, ice hockey and handball in Sweden (N = 327, 62% men). A total of 66% and 51% were worried about the future of their sport or about their own future in sports, respectively. Feeling worse psychologically during the pandemic was common (72% of women, 40% of men, p < 0.001); depression criteria were endorsed by 19% of women and three percent of men ( p < 0.001); anxiety criteria by 20% of women and five percent of men ( p < 0.001). Reporting increased gambling during the pandemic was associated with gambling problem severity. Moderate-risk or problem gambling was seen in 10% of men and none of the women ( p < 0.001). Depression and anxiety were associated with feeling worse during the COVID-19 pandemic and with concern over one’s own sports future. In conclusion, COVID-19-related distress is common in elite athletes and associated with mental health symptoms. Gambling increase during the pandemic was rare, but related to gambling problems, which were common in male athletes. The calls for increased focus on COVID-19-related concerns in athletes and on problem gambling in male athletes.

Suggested Citation

  • Anders Håkansson & Caroline Jönsson & Göran Kenttä, 2020. "Psychological Distress and Problem Gambling in Elite Athletes during COVID-19 Restrictions—A Web Survey in Top Leagues of Three Sports during the Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(18), pages 1-17, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:17:y:2020:i:18:p:6693-:d:413502
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Julio Torales & Marcelo O’Higgins & João Mauricio Castaldelli-Maia & Antonio Ventriglio, 2020. "The outbreak of COVID-19 coronavirus and its impact on global mental health," International Journal of Social Psychiatry, , vol. 66(4), pages 317-320, June.
    2. Maria Vinberg & Natalie Durbeej & Ingvar Rosendahl, 2020. "Gambling and gambling problem among elite athletes and their professional coaches: findings from a Swedish total population survey of participants in four sports," International Gambling Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 20(2), pages 262-281, July.
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    Cited by:

    1. Alicja Jurecka & Paulina Skucińska & Artur Gądek, 2021. "Impact of the SARS-CoV-2 Coronavirus Pandemic on Physical Activity, Mental Health and Quality of Life in Professional Athletes—A Systematic Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(17), pages 1-16, September.
    2. Frida Eek & Caroline Larsson & Anita Wisén & Eva Ekvall Hansson, 2021. "Self-Perceived Changes in Physical Activity and the Relation to Life Satisfaction and Rated Physical Capacity in Swedish Adults during the COVID-19 Pandemic—A Cross Sectional Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(2), pages 1-14, January.

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