Prevalence of symptoms of depression and generalized anxiety disorder in field hockey players of German first and lower leagues

Background: While several studies on mental health of elite athletes were published in recent years, few compared the prevalence with the general population and none included field hockey players. Aims: To analyze the prevalence of symptoms of depression and generalized anxiety disorder in field hockey players of different skill levels and to compare it to the general population. Methods: Male and female hockey players from different leagues were asked to answer questions on player characteristics, the Centre of Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7). Results: One hundred and eighty-seven players (incl. 54 first and 28 second league players) participated in the study (response rate 97.4%). More than a third (n = 64; 35.0%) reported to be affected by an injury/health complaint, but 157 (86.3%) were able to train and play without limitations. The CES-D score indicated depression symptoms in more female (n = 15; 18.3%) than male (n = 5; 4.8%) players (chi 2=8.8; p < 0.01). No male and one female player had symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder. Players who played 60 or more matches in the previous 12 months had on average significantly higher depression (t = 2.3; p < 0.05) and generalized anxiety scores (t = 4.2; p < 0.001) than players who played fewer matches. The prevalence of depression and of generalized anxiety symptoms was similar to or lower than in the general population. Although 20 (10.7%) players had depression symptoms, only 4 (2.2%) received psychological counseling or psychotherapy. Conclusion: It is recommended to provide routine screening of mental health problems and low-threshold access to adequate treatment for elite athletes.

Automated summary

This study analyzed the prevalence of symptoms of depression and generalized anxiety disorder in field hockey players of different skill levels and compared it to the general population. The results showed that the prevalence of depression and anxiety symptoms in hockey players was similar to or lower than in the general population. It is recommended to provide routine screening for mental health problems and easy access to treatment for elite athletes.