Mental Health Status, Life Satisfaction, and Mood State of Elite Athletes During the COVID-19 Pandemic:a follow-up study in the phases of home confinement, reopening, and semi-lockdown condition

Scientific reports notified that the pandemic caused by the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has raised an unprecedented mental health emergency worldwide. Abrupt changes in daily routine, environmental constraints, adopted home confinement measures, and uncertainty about a date for returning to usual activities can potentially affect mental health and sports activities in athletes. Hence, we designed a cross-sectional study with a within-subjects design to investigate the impact of the pandemic on mental health, mood states, and life satisfaction of elite athletes. During the three phases of home confinement (April 14–24, n = 525), reopening (May 9–19, n = 464), and current semi-lockdown (July 20–31, n = 428), elite athletes voluntarily responded to an online survey. The self-report questionnaire was prepared to collect demographic and epidemiological variables of interest and the COVID-19-related information. All participants also completed the Profile of Mood State (POMS), General Health Questionnaire-28 (GHQ-28), and Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS). The main result is that the training rate, mental health, life satisfaction, and positive mood have decreased during the home confinement period as compared with the reopening and semi-lockdown phases. However, the need for psychosocial services has increased during the pandemic period. The present study provides the first preliminary evidence that home confinement conditions during the COVID-19 pandemic might have negatively influenced elite athlete’s mood state, mental health, and life satisfaction, as well as training rates. Monitoring the psychological parameters of elite athletes and developing strategies to improve their mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic should be on the agenda. Next studies, therefore, seem reasonable to focus on active interventions for athletes during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic

¿Es el entrenamiento, un moderador de reacciones emocionales en el confinamiento por COVID-19, en deportistas de alto rendimiento?

La presente investigación, que forma parte de un estudio más amplio, se ha interesado por saber cómo han reaccionado los deportistas españoles que compiten a nivel nacional e internacional, a la situación de confinamiento como consecuencia del Coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2), cuando los Centros de deporte de diferentes niveles se cerraron y tuvieron que volver, de repente, a casa. Con las competiciones suspendidas, sin saber que iba a ocurrir en el inmediato futuro. Tras el análisis de los datos obtenidos, se puede apuntar a que los deportistas han aceptado adecuadamente las razones del confinamiento, se han mantenido entrenando en buena medida, y sus reacciones emocionales no son muy extremas, se puede apuntar a que el entrenamiento, quizás la disciplina a la que están acostumbrados, ha ayudado a afrontar de manera bastante adecuada esta compleja situación.The current study is part of a wider research which aims to study the emotional reactions of Spanish athletes who compete at national and international level, as a consequence of the confinement condition evolved from the pandemic of COVID-19 (SARS-Cov-2). Those athletes had to face the closure of Sport Centres, the interruption of competitions, and the postponement of sporting goals. The analysis of the data showed that athletes surveyed were able to accepted properly the reasons for confinement, had kept training to a large extent, and did not show extreme emotional reactions. These results suggest that training habits and the practiced discipline could have helped athletes deal with this extraordinary situation.Esta pesquisa, faz parte de um estudo mais amplo, focado em saber como os atletas espanhóis que competem anível nacional e internacional reagiram à situação do confinamento como consequência do Coronavírus (SARS-CoV-2), quando os Centros desportivos de diferentes níveis foram fechados e com as competições suspensas e sem saber o que ia acontecer no futuro imediato. Após a análise dos dados obtidos, podemos concluir que os atletas aceitaram adequadamente os motivos do confinamento e mantiveram os seus treinos em grande parte, suas reações emocionais não foram muito extremas; pode-se salientar que o treino, e rotina que estão habituados, ajudou a lidar situação.Sin financiaciónNo data JCR 20200.150 SJR (2020) Q4, 250/288 Orthopedics and Sports Medicine0.610 IDR (2019) C2, 16/44 DeporteUE