Occurrence of mental health symptoms and disorders in current and former elite athletes: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Open accessAbstract
Objectives: To present an overview of the existing epidemiological evidence regarding the occurrence of mental health symptoms and disorders among current and former elite athletes. Design: Systematic review and meta-analysis. Data sources: Five electronic databases were searched from inception to November 2018: PubMed (MEDLINE), SportDiscus via EBSCO, PSycINFO via ProQuest, Scopus and Cochrane. Eligibility criteria for selecting studies: We included original quantitative studies that were written in English, were conducted exclusively among current or former elite athletes, and presented incidence or prevalence rates of symptoms of mental disorders. Results: Twenty-two relevant original studies about mental health symptoms and disorders among current elite athletes were included: they presented data especially on symptoms of distress, sleep disturbance, anxiety/depression and alcohol misuse. Meta-analyses comprising 2895 to 5555 current elite athletes showed that the prevalence of mental health symptoms and disorders ranged from 19% for alcohol misuse to 34% for anxiety/depression. Fifteen relevant original studies about mental health symptoms and disorders among former elite athletes were included: they similarly presented data especially about symptoms of distress, sleep disturbance, anxiety/depression and alcohol misuse. Meta-analyses comprising 1579 to 1686 former elite athletes showed that the prevalence of mental health symptoms and disorders ranged from 16% for distress to 26% for anxiety/depression. Conclusions: Our meta-analyses showed that the prevalence of mental health symptoms and disorders ranged from 19% for alcohol misuse to 34% for anxiety/depression for current elite athletes, and from 16% for distress to 26% for anxiety/depression for former elite athletes.
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Research has primarily examined mental health outcomes of elite athletes, with comparatively less research focusing on coaches.
“To date, research has primarily examined the mental health outcomes of elite athletes [15–18], with comparatively less research focusing on understanding these psychological experiences among coaches [19].”
From The Mental Health of Elite-Level Coaches: A Systematic Scoping Review (2024) · cites this paper as [15]
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“…variations in reported prevalence levels can nevertheless be found in research conducted to date, with a wide range of screening tools being used to estimate various mental health symptoms and disorders among elite athletes (e.g., Gouttebarge et al., 2019; Reardon et al., 2019; Rice et al., 2019).”
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“Coaches that are contemplating or recently experiencing retirement report even higher rates of mental health symptomatology [13, 16], which is consistent with a pattern observed in retired or former elite athletes [2].”
BackgroundResultSelf-citationPsychological Safety for Mental Health in Elite Sport: A Theoretically Informed Model
Walton, C. C., Purcell, R., Pilkington, V., Hall, K., Kenttä, G., Vella, S. A., & Rice, S. (2023) · Sports Medicine · doi:10.1007/s40279-023-01912-2 · Cited by 77 · see citing works
“It is now clear that athletes in elite sports experience mental ill-health at similar rates to the general population [3, 4], with coaches and support staff also increasingly recognised as at risk [5, 6].”
BackgroundSelf-citationMental and physical health outcomes of burnout in athletes: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Glandorf, H. L., Madigan, D. J., Kavanagh, O. V., & Mallinson‐Howard, S. H. (2023) · International Review of Sport and Exercise Psychology · doi:10.1080/1750984x.2023.2225187 · Cited by 76 · see citing works
“Furthermore, in recent years, scholars have highlighted that some mental health difficulties appear to be more prevalent in athletes than in the general population (e.g. depressive symptoms; Gouttebarge et al., 2019).”
Kegelaers, J., Wylleman, P., van Bree, I. (. N. A., Wessels, F., & Oudejans, R. R. D. (2021) · International Sport Coaching Journal · doi:10.1123/iscj.2020-0066 · Cited by 71 · see citing works
Madigan, D. J., Olsson, L. F., Hill, A. P., & Curran, T. (2022) · Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology · doi:10.1123/jsep.2020-0291 · Cited by 75 · see citing works
Myall, K., Montero-Marín, J., Gorczynski, P., Kajee, N., Sheriff, R. S. S., Bernard, R. M., Harriss, E., & Kuyken, W. (2022) · British Journal of Sports Medicine · doi:10.1136/bjsports-2022-105596 · Cited by 76 · see citing works
Self-citationSocial identity leadership in sport and exercise: Current status and future directions
Stevens, M. R., Rees, T., & Cruwys, T. (2021) · Psychology of sport and exercise · doi:10.1016/j.psychsport.2021.101931 · Cited by 67 · see citing works
Rice, S., Walton, C. C., Pilkington, V., Gwyther, K., OLIVE, L. S., Lloyd, M., Kountouris, A., Butterworth, M., Clements, M., & Purcell, R. (2022) · BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine · doi:10.1136/bmjsem-2021-001251 · Cited by 61 · see citing works
Self-citationThe Mental Health of Elite-Level Coaches: A Systematic Scoping Review
Frost, J., Walton, C. C., Purcell, R., Fisher, K., Gwyther, K., Kocherginsky, M., & Rice, S. M. (2024) · Sports Medicine - Open · doi:10.1186/s40798-023-00655-8 · Cited by 59 · see citing works
“To date, research has primarily examined the mental health outcomes of elite athletes [15–18], with comparatively less research focusing on understanding these psychological experiences among coaches [19].”
BackgroundSelf-citationAthlete Mental Health & Psychological Impact of Sport Injury
Haugen, E. N. J. (2022) · Operative Techniques in Sports Medicine · doi:10.1016/j.otsm.2022.150898 · Cited by 55 · see citing works
International society of sport psychology position stand: elite athlete mental health revisited
Schinke, R. J., Henriksen, K., Moore, Z. E., Stambulova, N. B., Bartley, J. D., Cosh, S., Wagstaff, C. R. D., Quartiroli, A., Wylleman, P., Maher, C. A., et al. (2024) · International Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology · doi:10.1080/1612197x.2024.2359872 · Cited by 55 · see citing works
Antero, J., Tanaka, H., Larochelambert, Q. D., Perme, M. P., & Toussaint, J. (2020) · British Journal of Sports Medicine · doi:10.1136/bjsports-2019-101696 · Cited by 54 · see citing works
Voorheis, P., Silver, M. P., & Consonni, J. (2023) · PLoS ONE · doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0291683 · Cited by 66 · see citing works
“Another review suggested that preparation for retirement and health exams were protective factors for retired athletes experiencing significant negative cognitive and mental health outcomes [42].”
BackgroundBalcombe, L., & Leo, D. D. (2020) · JMIR Formative Research · doi:10.2196/22755 · Cited by 51 · see citing works
“More specifically, there are comparable rates of depression [4,30,33] as well as anxiety, posttraumatic stress, and sleep disorder [4,30].”
BackgroundResultInfluentialHåkansson, A., Moesch, K., Jönsson, C., & Kenttä, G. (2020) · International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health · doi:10.3390/ijerph18010002 · Cited by 51 · see citing works
Mental health and suicide in former professional soccer players
Russell, E., McCabe, T., Mackay, D., Stewart, K., MacLean, J. A., Pell, J. P., & Stewart, W. B., Jr. (2020) · Journal of Neurology Neurosurgery & Psychiatry · doi:10.1136/jnnp-2020-323315 · Cited by 53 · see citing works
Gouttebarge, V., Ahmad, I., Mountjoy, M., Rice, S., & Kerkhoffs, G. M. M. J. (2020) · Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine · doi:10.1097/jsm.0000000000000886 · Cited by 50 · see citing works
“Sample size calculation indicated that at least 384 participants per group were needed to reach a power of 80% [confidence interval (CI) of 95% and absolute precision of 3%] under the assumption of an anticipated population proportion (prevalence) of 10%.(2,13) Considering (1) the lower number of female players availa…”
BackgroundSelf-citationDepression, anxiety and stress among female student-athletes: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Beisecker, L., Harrison, P. R., Josephson, M., & DeFreese, J. D. (2024) · British Journal of Sports Medicine · doi:10.1136/bjsports-2023-107328 · Cited by 53 · see citing works
Prevalence of mental health symptoms among male and female Australian professional footballers
Kiliç, Ö., Carmody, S., Upmeijer, J., Kerkhoffs, G. M. M. J., Purcell, R., Rice, S., & Gouttebarge, V. (2021) · BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine · doi:10.1136/bmjsem-2021-001043 · Cited by 46 · see citing works
Self-citationPromoting mental health in esports
Kegelaers, J. J., Trotter, M. G., Watson, M., Pedraza-Ramirez, I., Bonilla, I., Wylleman, P., Maîresse, O., & Heel, M. V. (2024) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1342220 · Cited by 46 · see citing works
Mental health and well-being of elite youth athletes: a scoping review
Gwyther, K., Pilkington, V., Bailey, A. P., Mountjoy, M. L., Bergeron, M. F., Rice, S., & Purcell, R. (2024) · British Journal of Sports Medicine · doi:10.1136/bjsports-2024-108244 · Cited by 46 · see citing works
“The full search strategy can be found in online supplemental file 2.”
Self-citationWang, W., Schweickle, M. J., Arnold, E. R., & Vella, S. A. (2025) · Sports Medicine · doi:10.1007/s40279-024-02173-3 · Cited by 65 · see citing works
“Recent meta-analyses indicated that the prevalence of mental disorders in elite athletes ranged from 19% (alcohol misuse) to 34% (anxiety/depression) [19]; that is, the majority of elite athletes are not mentally ill.”
Experience and Construction of Mental Health Among English Female Football Match Officials
Webb, T., Gorczynski, P. F., Oftadeh-Moghadam, S., & Grubb, L. (2021) · The Sport Psychologist · doi:10.1123/tsp.2020-0086 · Cited by 46 · see citing works
“Systematic reviews and meta-analyses have shown that both current and retired athletes are at risk of various mental health symptoms and disorders (Gouttebarge et al., 2019), and that females are twice as likely as males to experience poor mental health (Gorczynski, Coyle, & Gibson 2017; Rice et…”
BackgroundSelf-citationMood Profiling for Sustainable Mental Health among Athletes
Terry, P. C., & Parsons-Smith, R. L. (2021) · Sustainability · doi:10.3390/su13116116 · Cited by 46 · see citing works
Athlete mental health: future directions
Currie, A., Blauwet, C. A., Bindra, A., Budgett, R., Campriani, N., Hainline, B. W., Mcduff, D. R., Mountjoy, M. L., Purcell, R., Putukian, M., et al. (2021) · British Journal of Sports Medicine · doi:10.1136/bjsports-2021-104443 · Cited by 42 · see citing works
Self-citationAnxiety and Depression Symptoms and Suicidal Ideation in Japan Rugby Top League Players
Ojio, Y., Matsunaga, A., Hatakeyama, K., Kawamura, S., Horiguchi, M., Yoshitani, G., Kanie, A., Horikoshi, M., & Fujii, C. (2021) · International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health · doi:10.3390/ijerph18031205 · Cited by 41 · see citing works
“6% prevalence of anxiety and depressive symptoms in current and former elite athletes [17].”
BackgroundThe Prevalence of Mental Ill Health in Elite Counter-Strike Athletes
Birch, P. D. J., Smith, M. J., Arumuham, A., de Gortari, A. B. O., & Sharpe, B. T. (2024) · Journal of Electronic Gaming and Esports · doi:10.1123/jege.2024-0006 · Cited by 39 · see citing works
Sun, G., Zhao, J., Tian, S., Zhang, L., & Jia, C.-X. (2020) · International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health · doi:10.3390/ijerph17218087 · Cited by 40 · see citing works
“Research on the mental health of athletes has grown rapidly in recent years [1,2].”
BackgroundMountjoy, M., Junge, A., Magnusson, C., Shahpar, F. M., Ortiz Lizcano, E. I., Varvodic, J., Wang, X., Cherif, M. Y., Hill, L., & Miller, J. (2022) · Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine · doi:10.1097/jsm.0000000000000971 · Cited by 40 · see citing works
“4% sleep disturbance, 9% for alcohol misuse, and 1%–28% for eating disorders.(5) There is a well-established correlation between mental health symptomatology and experience with harassment/abuse both inside and outside of sport.”
BackgroundKim, S. S. Y., Hamiliton, B., Beable, S., Cavadino, A., & Fulcher, M. L. (2020) · BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine · doi:10.1136/bmjsem-2019-000719 · Cited by 40 · see citing works
Sex Differences in Mental Health Symptoms in Elite Athletes: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
Kew, M. E., Dave, U., Marmor, W. A., Olsen, R. J., Jivanelli, B., Tsai, S. H. L., Kuo, L., & Ling, D. I. (2024) · Sports Health A Multidisciplinary Approach · doi:10.1177/19417381241264491 · Cited by 37 · see citing works
“25 We included both current and retired athletes.”
Gwyther, K., Rice, S., Purcell, R., Pilkington, V., Santesteban‐Echarri, O., Bailey, A. P., & Walton, C. C. (2021) · Psychology of sport and exercise · doi:10.1016/j.psychsport.2021.102094 · Cited by 37 · see citing works
Self-citationMakdissi, M., Critchley, M. L., Cantu, R. C., Caron, J. G., Davis, G. A., Echemendía, R. J., Frémont, P., Hayden, A., Herring, S. A., Hinds, S. R., et al. (2023) · British Journal of Sports Medicine · doi:10.1136/bjsports-2023-106815 · Cited by 38 · see citing works
Mental health symptoms in electronic football players
Pereira, A. M., Teques, P., Verhagen, E. A. L. M., Gouttebarge, V., Figueiredo, P., & Brito, J. (2021) · BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine · doi:10.1136/bmjsem-2021-001149 · Cited by 36 · see citing works
Self-citationOLIVE, L. S., Rice, S., Butterworth, M., Clements, M., & Purcell, R. (2021) · Sports Medicine - Open · doi:10.1186/s40798-021-00352-4 · Cited by 36 · see citing works
“To date, meta-analyses that estimate the prevalence of mental health symptoms in elite athletes, ranging from 19% for general psychological distress and/or alcohol misuse, through to 34% for anxiety/ depression [2, 3], have mostly involved athletes from non-para-sports (e.”
BackgroundSelf-citationHelp-Seeking for Mental Health Issues in Professional Rugby League Players
Kola, S., Lewis, K., Rodriguez, A., & Kola-Palmer, D. (2020) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2020.570690 · Cited by 35 · see citing works
Mental Health in Athletes: Where Are the Treatment Studies?
Ekelund, R., Holmström, S., & Stenling, A. (2022) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2022.781177 · Cited by 38 · see citing works
Mental Health in Ultra-Endurance Runners: A Systematic Review
Thuany, M., Viljoen, C. T., Gomes, T. N., Knechtle, B., & Scheer, V. (2023) · Sports Medicine · doi:10.1007/s40279-023-01890-5 · Cited by 34 · see citing works
“4%) [3], as well as a higher prevalence among women (26%) compared with men athletes (10.”
BackgroundInfluentialUnderstanding and Improving Athlete Mental Health: A Social Identity Approach
Stevens, M. R., Cruwys, T., OLIVE, L. S., & Rice, S. (2024) · Sports Medicine · doi:10.1007/s40279-024-01996-4 · Cited by 40 · see citing works
“A recent meta-analysis estimated that 34% of current elite athletes experience depression or anxiety, 26% experience sleep disturbance and 20% experience psychological distress [8]—prevalence rates that are at least comparable to those in the general population (see also [5, 9, 10]).”
BackgroundSelf-citationMental health and psychological well-being among professional rugby league players from the UK
Nicholls, A. R., Madigan, D. J., Fairs, L. R. W., & Bailey, R. P. (2020) · BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine · doi:10.1136/bmjsem-2019-000711 · Cited by 34 · see citing works
Elite female footballers in England: an exploration of mental ill-health and help-seeking intentions
Perry, C., Chauntry, A. J., & Champ, F. M. (2022) · Science and Medicine in Football · doi:10.1080/24733938.2022.2084149 · Cited by 33 · see citing works
“One recommendation that has emerged across recent reviews is for more research into mental health and elite female athletes (Gouttebarge et al. 2019; Kuettel et al. 2020; Perry et al. 2021; Poucher et al. 2021; Tahtinen et al. 2021).”
BackgroundInfluentialSports career-related concussion and mental health symptoms in former elite athletes
Gouttebarge, V., & Kerkhoffs, G. M. M. J. (2020) · Neurochirurgie · doi:10.1016/j.neuchi.2020.01.001 · Cited by 33 · see citing works
Self-citationRetirement of professional soccer players – A systematic review from social sciences perspectives
Barth, M., Güllich, A., Forstinger, C. A., Schlesinger, T., Schröder, F., & Emrich, E. (2020) · Journal of Sports Sciences · doi:10.1080/02640414.2020.1851449 · Cited by 33 · see citing works
“From an applied research and practical perspective, this is clearly an evolving field with several research (e.g., Gouttebarge et al., 2019a) and “dual career” support projects (e.g., B-WISER, n.d.)–however hitherto based on insufficient evidence regarding consequences of an elite/professional…”
BackgroundSleep and Mental Health Issues in Current and Former Athletes: A Mini Review
Montero, A., Stevens, D. J., Adams, R., & Drummond, M. (2022) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2022.868614 · Cited by 33 · see citing works
Paget, L. D. A., Aoki, H., Kemp, S. P. T., Lambert, M., Readhead, C., Stokes, K., Viljoen, W., Reurink, G., Tol, J. L., Kerkhoffs, G. M. M. J., et al. (2020) · BMJ Open · doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2020-036775 · Cited by 31 · see citing works
Self-citationThe Psychological Burden of Retirement from Sport
Esopenko, C., Coury, J. R., Pieroth, E. M., Noble, J. M., Trofa, D. P., & Bottiglieri, T. S. (2020) · Current Sports Medicine Reports · doi:10.1249/jsr.0000000000000761 · Cited by 34 · see citing works
Küttel, A., Durand‐Bush, N., & Larsen, C. H. (2021) · Journal of Clinical Sport Psychology · doi:10.1123/jcsp.2021-0035 · Cited by 31 · see citing works
“However, mental health in elite sport has received increased attention in the 10 past years, both in terms of public and academic interest (Gouttebarge et al., 2019; Kuettel & Larsen, 2020; Reardon et al., 2019).”
BackgroundMaltreatment experiences and mental health indicators among elite athletes
Willson, E., Buono, S., Kerr, G. A., & Stirling, A. E. (2023) · Psychology of sport and exercise · doi:10.1016/j.psychsport.2023.102493 · Cited by 30 · see citing works
Åkesdotter, C., Kenttä, G., & Sparkes, A. C. (2023) · Journal of Applied Sport Psychology · doi:10.1080/10413200.2023.2185697 · Cited by 30 · see citing works
“A meta-analysis of anxiety/depressive symptoms in currently active elite athletes found a prevalence of 34% (Gouttebarge et al., 2019), and at least one anxiety disorder was diagnosed in 8.6% of French elite athletes (6-month prevalence) during yearly psychiatric evaluations (Schaal et al., 2011).”
BackgroundInfluentialNiering, M., Monsberger, T., Seifert, J., & Muehlbauer, T. (2023) · Behavioral Sciences · doi:10.3390/bs13110910 · Cited by 32 · see citing works
“Among individuals participating in professional sports or performing arts, the prevalence of anxiety-related disorders varies between 19.5% [2] and 34% [3].”
BackgroundInfluentialThe Negative Effects of Travel on Student Athletes Through Sleep and Circadian Disruption
Heller, H. C., Herzog, E. D., Brager, A. J., Poe, G. R., Allada, R., Scheer, F. A. J. L., Carskadon, M. A., de la Iglesia, H. O., Jang, R. S., Montero, A., et al. (2023) · Journal of Biological Rhythms · doi:10.1177/07487304231207330 · Cited by 30 · see citing works
“The incidence of mental health issues such as alcoholism and depression is high in current and former athletes (Gouttebarge et al., 2019), and may be precipitated by sleep and circadian deficits.”
BackgroundLi, C., Fan, R., Sun, J. M., & Li, G. (2021) · Frontiers in Public Health · doi:10.3389/fpubh.2021.607800 · Cited by 28 · see citing works
Mood Responses and Regulation Strategies Used During COVID-19 Among Boxers and Coaches
Roberts, R. J., & Lane, A. M. (2021) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2021.624119 · Cited by 28 · see citing works
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in Elite Athletes
Lynch, J. H. (2021) · Current Sports Medicine Reports · doi:10.1249/jsr.0000000000000918 · Cited by 30 · see citing works
Gaining perspectives: A scoping review of research assessing depressive symptoms in athletes
Tahtinen, R. E., Shelley, J., & Morris, R. (2021) · Psychology of sport and exercise · doi:10.1016/j.psychsport.2021.101905 · Cited by 31 · see citing works
Mental health symptoms in German elite athletes: a network analysis
Geiger, S., Jahre, L. M., Aufderlandwehr, J., Krakowczyk, J. B., Esser, A. J., Mühlbauer, T., Skoda, E., Teufel, M., & Bäuerle, A. (2023) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1243804 · Cited by 30 · see citing works
The Mental Health of Athletes: Recreational to Elite
Reardon, C. L. (2021) · Current Sports Medicine Reports · doi:10.1249/jsr.0000000000000916 · Cited by 27 · see citing works
Self-citationBeyond the medals: a cross-sectional study exploring retired elite female athletes’ health
Thornton, J. S., Rosen, C., Davenport, M. H., Mountjoy, M. L., Dorian, P., Gouttebarge, V., Breau, B., Pila, E., Reilly, K. C., Yuan, J., et al. (2023) · BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine · doi:10.1136/bmjsem-2022-001479 · Cited by 32 · see citing works
“By doing so, athletes can make informed decisions about their reproductive health.”
Self-citationRisk and protective factors for mental ill-health in elite para- and non-para athletes
Olive, L. S., Rice, S. M., Gao, C., Pilkington, V., Walton, C. C., Butterworth, M., Abbott, L., Cross, G., Clements, M., & Purcell, R. (2022) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2022.939087 · Cited by 26 · see citing works
“A recent systematic review suggested that approximately one third of currently competing athletes report experiencing symptoms of the common mental health disorders (e.g., depression and anxiety; Gouttebarge et al., 2019), a rate that is comparable (or elevated for general distress) to the general population (Purcell…”
BackgroundSelf-citationPrevalence of anxiety and depression in former elite athletes: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Runacres, A., & Marshall, Z. A. (2024) · BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine · doi:10.1136/bmjsem-2023-001867 · Cited by 31 · see citing works
Interventions for improving mental health in athletes: a scoping review
Ekelund, R., Holmström, S., Gustafsson, H., Ivarsson, A., Lundqvist, C., & Stenling, A. (2023) · International Review of Sport and Exercise Psychology · doi:10.1080/1750984x.2023.2258383 · Cited by 30 · see citing works
“Moreover, the results of prevalence studies on mental health, mental health problems, and mental disorders in athlete populations in the past decade (e.g. Gouttebarge et al., 2019), have highlighted athletes ’ need for e ff ective mental health interventions.”
Lundqvist, C. (2020) · The Sport Psychologist · doi:10.1123/tsp.2019-0152 · Cited by 24 · see citing works
Psychological readiness to return to sports practice and risk of recurrence: Case studies
Gómez-Espejo, V., Zafra, A. O., Abenza‐Cano, L., García‐Mas, A., & Ortega, E. (2022) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2022.905816 · Cited by 24 · see citing works
“However, knowledge about the relationship between psychological factors and sports injuries is still limited (Olmedilla et al., 2018b; Gouttebarge et al., 2019; Rice et al., 2019).”
BackgroundWang, L., Yang, M., & Meng, W. (2023) · Anesthesia & Analgesia · doi:10.1213/ane.0000000000006452 · Cited by 24 · see citing works
Measuring Psychological Load in Sport
Mellalieu, S. D., Jones, C., Wagstaff, C. R. D., Kemp, S. P. T., & Cross, M. J. (2021) · International Journal of Sports Medicine · doi:10.1055/a-1446-9642 · Cited by 23 · see citing works
“, retirement) of elite sports and those athletes classified as long-term injured [30, 39].”
BackgroundUrinary Incontinence in Elite Female Athletes
Gan, Z. S., & Smith, A. L. (2022) · Current Urology Reports · doi:10.1007/s11934-022-01133-6 · Cited by 23 · see citing works
Supporting The Mental Health Of Elite‐Level Coaches Through Early Intervention
Frost, J., Walton, C. C., Purcell, R., & Rice, S. (2023) · Arthroscopy Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation · doi:10.1016/j.asmr.2023.04.017 · Cited by 26 · see citing works
“, n >100),(26) these initial findings suggest that high-performance coaches may be at a greater risk of developing mental disorders when compared with elite athletes.(27)”
BackgroundSelf-citationBentzen, M., Kenttä, G., Karls, T., & Fagher, K. (2022) · Frontiers in Sports and Active Living · doi:10.3389/fspor.2022.945073 · Cited by 24 · see citing works
“4% for sleep disturbance, and 34% for anxiety/depression (8).”
BackgroundBiró, A., Cuesta‐Vargas, A., & Szilágyi, L. S. (2023) · Acta Universitatis Sapientiae Informatica · doi:10.2478/ausi-2023-0022 · Cited by 22 · see citing works
Lundqvist, C., Schary, D. P., Jacobsson, J., Korhonen, L., & Timpka, T. (2024) · Journal of science and medicine in sport · doi:10.1016/j.jsams.2024.05.001 · Cited by 27 · see citing works
Rice, S., Butterworth, M., Clements, M., Josifovski, D., Arnold, S., Schwab, C., Pennell, K., & Purcell, R. (2020) · Case Studies in Sport and Exercise Psychology · doi:10.1123/cssep.2019-0016 · Cited by 22 · see citing works
Self-citationOltmans, E., Confectioner, K., Jonkers, R., Kerkhoffs, G., Moen, M., Verhagen, E., Wylleman, P., & Gouttebarge, V. (2020) · Physician and sportsmedicine · doi:10.1080/00913847.2020.1868276 · Cited by 20 · see citing works
“disorders ranged from 19% for alcohol misuse to 34% for anxiety/depression [4].”
BackgroundSelf-citationWalton, C. C., Purcell, R., & Rice, S. (2019) · Early Intervention in Psychiatry · doi:10.1111/eip.12857 · Cited by 21 · see citing works
“…schedules, public scrutiny and post-career transition (especially when non-voluntary) to a non-athletic identity (Gorczynski, Coyle, & Gibson, 2017; Gouttebarge et al., 2019; Gouttebarge, FringsDresen, & Sluiter, 2015; Gulliver, Griffiths, Mackinnon, Batterham, & Stanimirovic, 2015; Henriksen et…”
Self-citationCall-to-action: the need for a mental health research agenda for sports match officials
Gorczynski, P. F., & Webb, T. (2020) · Managing Sport and Leisure · doi:10.1080/23750472.2020.1792803 · Cited by 21 · see citing works
“…prevalence rates for distress (6%), anxiety/ depression (undifferentiated) (12%), sleep disturbance (9%), and alcohol misuse (17%), were all lower than those reported in a recent metaanalysis that examined the same symptoms for elite athletes (Gouttebarge et al., 2017; Gouttebarge et al., 2019).”
ResultSelf-citationUnmasking mental health symptoms in female professional football players: a 12-month follow-up study
Bilgoe, S. C., van Rensburg, D. C. J., Goedhart, E. A., Orhant, E., Kerkhoffs, G. M. M. J., & Gouttebarge, V. (2024) · BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine · doi:10.1136/bmjsem-2024-001922 · Cited by 20 · see citing works
“Therefore, sports medicine physicians and mental health professionals working in female football should provide standard care, which involves identifying, monitoring and implementing tailored interventions for mental health symptoms.”
BackgroundSelf-citationWaleriańczyk, W., Krzywański, J., Gorgol, J., Konopka, K., Kuśmierczyk, A., Lisek, G., Maleszka, P., Sławińska, M., Surała, O., Więcław, G., et al. (2024) · British Journal of Sports Medicine · doi:10.1136/bjsports-2024-108919 · Cited by 21 · see citing works
Şenel, E., Küttel, A., Adiloğulları, İ., & Jowett, S. (2025) · Psychology of sport and exercise · doi:10.1016/j.psychsport.2025.102850 · Cited by 20 · see citing works
Grasdalsmoen, M., Clarsen, B. M., & Sivertsen, B. (2022) · Frontiers in Sports and Active Living · doi:10.3389/fspor.2022.817757 · Cited by 21 · see citing works
Validity and reliability of the Turkish version of Athlete Psychological Strain Questionnaire (APSQ)
Lima, Y., ÖZ, N. D., Denerel, N., Özkaya, Ö., Şenışık, S., & Rice, S. (2022) · Turkish Journal of Sports Medicine · doi:10.47447/tjsm.0637 · Cited by 20 · see citing works
Self-citationHilpisch, C., Krüger, K., Raab, M., Wiese, L., Zentgraf, K., & Mutz, M. (2024) · International Review for the Sociology of Sport · doi:10.1177/10126902241248767 · Cited by 20 · see citing works
“…is limited and previous fi ndings have been mixed, recent evidence has suggested that athletes are at comparable or even higher risk of mental health problems than the general population (Frank et al., 2013; Gouttebarge et al., 2019; Reardon et al., 2019; Rice et al., 2016; Wolanin et al., 2015).”
Kelly, N., Stafford, J., Craig, C., Herring, M. P., & Campbell, M. J. (2022) · Psychology of sport and exercise · doi:10.1016/j.psychsport.2022.102244 · Cited by 19 · see citing works
Anonymous vs. non-anonymous administration of depression scales in elite athletes: a meta-analysis
Harenberg, S., Ouellet-Pizer, C. M., Nieto, M., Kuo, L., Vosloo, J., Keenan, L., & Wilson, S. E. (2022) · International Review of Sport and Exercise Psychology · doi:10.1080/1750984x.2022.2095658 · Cited by 19 · see citing works
“%) in depressive symptoms (Gouttebarge et al., 2019).”
Athletes are not at greater risk for death by suicide: A review
Pichler, E. M., Ewers, S. M., Ajdacic‐Gross, V., Deutschmann, M., Exner, J., Kawohl, W., Seifritz, E., & Claussen, M. C. (2023) · Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports · doi:10.1111/sms.14316 · Cited by 20 · see citing works
Mental Health Symptoms Related to Body Shape Idealization in Female Fitness Physique Athletes
Mathisen, T. F., & Sundgot-Borgen, J. K. (2019) · Sports · doi:10.3390/sports7110236 · Cited by 20 · see citing works
“A recent meta-analysis identified mental health symptoms and disorders as highly prevalent among elite athletes (34%) [6] and slightly higher compared to the frequency of mental health disorders in the general population (~20%) [11].”
BackgroundReaching out: help-seeking among professional male ice hockey athletes
Crawford, K. L., Wilson, B., Clarke, L. H., & Beauchamp, M. R. (2022) · Qualitative Research in Sport Exercise and Health · doi:10.1080/2159676x.2022.2111458 · Cited by 19 · see citing works
“Despite the prevalence of mental health concerns among elite athletes (Gouttebarge et al. 2019), when compared to their non-athlete counterparts, athletes are less likely to engage in help-seeking behaviours (Watson 2005).”
BackgroundOjio, Y., Kawamura, S., Horiguchi, M., & Gouttebarge, V. (2023) · Sports Psychiatry · doi:10.1024/2674-0052/a000059 · Cited by 18 · see citing works
Self-citation
- Authors
- Gouttebarge, V., Castaldelli-Maia, J. M., Gorczynski, P., Hainline, B., Hitchcock, M. E., Kerkhoffs, G. M., Rice, S. M., & Reardon, C. L.
- Affiliations
- Amsterdam University Medical Centers (NL)
- University of Portsmouth (GB)
- National Collegiate Athletic Association (US)
- University of Wisconsin–Madison (US)
- Amsterdam UMC Location University of Amsterdam (NL)
- The University of Melbourne (AU)
- University of Wisconsin System (US)
- Corresponding author
- Gouttebarge, Vincent
- ORCID
- Venue
- British Journal of Sports Medicine
- Publisher
- BMJ
- Published
- 2019-05-16
- Volume
- 53
- Issue
- 11
- Pages
- 700-706
- ISSN
- 0306-3674 (ISSN-L)
- 1473-0480
- PMC
- PMC6579497
- OpenAlex
- W2944177380
- Cited by
- 604
- References
- 68
- Citations by year
- 2026: 119 · 2025: 107 · 2024: 111 · 2023: 77 · 2022: 80 · 2021: 58 · 2020: 44 · 2019: 7 · 2018: 1
- FWCI
- 10.09
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- hybrid
- doi.org
- Licence
- cc-by
- Locations
- British Journal of Sports Medicine (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Pure Amsterdam UMC (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- Amsterdam UMC (VU Amsterdam) - Institutional Repository (publishedVersion, other-oa)
- Minerva Access (University of Melbourne) (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc)
- Data Archiving and Networked Services (DANS) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
- HighWire Press Open Archive (submittedVersion)
- Data Archiving and Networked Services (DANS) (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc)
- Funders
- International Olympic Committee
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Sport Psychology and Performance
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Psychological Treatments and Assessments
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Mental Health Treatment and Access
- Keywords
- mental health, elite athletes, former athletes, anxiety, depression, alcohol abuse, sleep disorders, psychological distress, prevalence, mental illness
- MeSH terms
- Anxiety, Mental Disorders, Depression, Humans, Sleep Wake Disorders, Incidence, Prevalence, Alcohol-Related Disorders, Athletes
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