Resilience as a protective factor for well-being and emotional stability in elite-level football players during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. (16th November 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Madsen, Esben Elholm; Krustrup, Peter; Larsen, Carsten Hvid; Elbe, Anne-Marie; Wikman, Johan Michael; Ivarsson, Andreas; Lautenbach, Franziska
• Is Part Of: Science and medicine in football. Volume 5(2021)Supplement 1
• Page Start: 62
• Page End: 69
• Publication Date: 2021-11-16
• Subjects: COVID-19 -- soccer -- mental health -- emotional regulation; Soccer injuries -- Periodicals; Soccer -- Physiological aspects -- Periodicals; Sports medicine -- Periodicals; Soccer -- Psychological aspects -- Periodicals; 617.102763
• DOI: 10.1080/24733938.2021.1959047
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2473-3938

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Background: In Denmark, the first COVID-19 pandemic lockdown resulted in a compact season finisher for elite footballers, potentially impacting their mental health.Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the protective role of resilience and the impeding role of trait anxiety on elite footballers' level and variability of well-being and emotional stability.Material and Methods: One hundred and twenty-five male elite-level players ( Mage = 25.04 ± 4.82) completed baseline measures on trait anxiety and resilience. Additionally, well-being and positive and negative affect were assessed before games (n = 24) over 62 days. Separate two-level regression analysis using Bayesian statistics was conducted to test potential relationships. Results: Results show a credible positive relationship between the average level of well-being and within-person variability over time as well as the average level in positive affect. This indicates that resilience might be a protector for mental health. In addition, higher levels of trait anxiety (i.e., subscale concentration disruption ) were associated with higher levels of negative affect and higher variability over time. This indicates that trait anxiety might facilitate negative affect. No other credible relationships were found. Conclusion: High resilience and low trait anxiety are identified as relevant factors for mental health within elite footballers during COVID-19. Implications for practice are discussed.