Factors Affecting Anxiety-Related Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Treatment Among Collegiate Student-Athletes in the National College Health Assessment.

Increased attention continues to be placed on best practices for assisting student-athletes who show symptoms of a mental health illness. One of the most common mental health concerns for student-athletes is feeling overwhelmed or anxious. Early recognition of these symptoms can help student-athletes find early intervention. To elucidate specific attributes associated with an increased likelihood of anxiety symptoms and treatment avoidance to help athletic trainers and other practitioners better identify and assist high-risk individuals. Cross-sectional study. Colleges and universities in the United States. A total of 51 882 varsity athletes who completed the National College Health Assessment between 2011 and 2019. Survey responses (self-report) to questions related to anxiety symptoms and disorders cross-sectioned into 9 predictors: year in school, gender, sexual orientation, race and ethnicity, international student status, school type, received information on stress reduction or depression or anxiety, anxiety about impeding academic performance, and history of mental health treatment in the last year. More than three-fourths (82.9%, n = 43 016) of student-athletes reported feeling overwhelmed because of all that they had to do in their daily activities, whereas only half (47.5%, n = 24 645) of student-athletes described overwhelming anxiety as a symptom. Gender, sexual orientation, race and ethnicity, school type, and previous mental health treatment had large effects on these 2 symptoms. However, of the student-athletes who reported overwhelming anxiety as a symptom, only one-fourth (22.9%, n = 5649) indicated they received a diagnosis of anxiety with or without treatment. Factors such as the year in school and availability of mental health information appeared to have little effect on the experience of anxiety-related symptoms and the propensity to seek treatment. However, other factors, including gender, sexual orientation, race and ethnicity, school type, and previous mental health treatment, did have important effects. Our study provides additional evidence that the stresses placed on collegiate student-athletes frequently led to feelings of being overwhelmed and, eventually, anxiety disorder diagnoses. However, most student-athletes experiencing anxiety-related symptoms still did not seek a diagnosis with or without treatment.

Edwards B ，Froehle AW 《-》

Trends in Collegiate Student-Athlete Mental Health in the National College Health Assessment, 2011-2019.

Recently, the athletic training community has paid increased attention to collegiate student-athlete mental health, mental health treatment-seeking behavior, and the effects of mental health factors on athletic and academic performance. Ongoing efforts to better educate and equip athletic trainers to help student-athletes in this regard should result in improved mental health-related outcomes. To examine changes in the mental health of student-athletes over the past decade compared with that of nonathlete students. Cross-sectional study. Colleges and universities in the United States. Varsity athletes (athletes; n = 54 479) and nonathlete students (nonathletes; n = 448 301) who completed the National College Health Assessment between 2011 and 2019. Surveys included responses (self-reported) to questions in 5 mental health-related categories: recent mental health symptoms, recent mental health diagnosis, mental health treatment-seeking behavior, receiving mental health information from the institution, and the recent effect of mental health factors on academic performance. Athletes consistently described lower symptom and diagnosis rates compared with nonathletes, except for attempted suicide, substance abuse, and eating disorders. Rates of diagnosis increased over time in both groups but remained lower in athletes. Treatment-seeking behavior and openness to future treatment increased over time in both groups but remained lower in athletes. Athletes received more information on stress reduction, substance abuse, eating disorders, and handling distress or violence compared with nonathletes. Both groups received information more frequently over time. Athletes reported fewer academic effects, especially for depression and anxiety, but these effects grew over time in both groups. The effects of injuries and extracurricular activities on academic performance were greater in athletes than in nonathletes. Athletes described overall lower levels of mental health symptoms, diagnoses, and academic effects compared with nonathletes. Whereas the rates in nonathletes climbed over the past decade, the rates in athletes broadly remained flat or climbed less rapidly. Increasingly positive attitudes toward treatment were encouraging, but the deficit in athletes relative to nonathletes persisted. Ongoing efforts of athletic trainers to educate athletes and guide them to mental health resources are needed to continue, or better yet to accelerate, the observed positive trends in information dissemination and treatment-seeking behavior.

Edwards B ，Froehle AW ，Fagan SE 《-》

Trends in College Student-Athlete Mental Health in the National College Health Assessment (NCHA), 2011-2019.

Edwards B ，Froehle AW ，Fagan SE 《-》

Descriptive Epidemiology of Non-Time-Loss Injuries in Collegiate and High School Student-Athletes.

Kerr ZY ，Lynall RC ，Roos KG ，Dalton SL ，Djoko A ，Dompier TP ... -  《-》

Concussion-Related Protocols and Preparticipation Assessments Used for Incoming Student-Athletes in National Collegiate Athletic Association Member Institutions.

Kerr ZY ，Snook EM ，Lynall RC ，Dompier TP ，Sales L ，Parsons JT ，Hainline B ... -  《-》