Anxiety and Depression in Athletes of Different Levels Without Current Injury: A Systematic Review With Meta-Analyses.
Lucas Melo Neves, Matheus Mesquita Vieira, Liris Naomi Noguchi et al.
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In 30 seconds
This systematic review and random-effects meta-analysis examined anxiety and depression in athletes across competitive levels, including those without current injury. It included 64 studies involving 131,840 athletes; 64 studies contributed to the meta-analysis. Pooled prevalence of moderate to severe symptoms was 16% for anxiety, 18% for depression, and 35% for combined anxiety and depression. Estimates for diagnosed disorders differed from symptom-screening estimates, although they came from relatively few studies. The authors conclude that early identification and focused attention to athletes’ mental health are important.
Key findings
- Moderate to severe anxiety symptoms had a pooled prevalence of 16% (95% CI = 0.13, 0.21; 33 studies, 12 893 athletes).
- Moderate to severe depressive symptoms had a pooled prevalence of 18% (95% CI = 0.14, 0.22; 46 studies, 19 290 athletes).
- Combined moderate to severe anxiety and depressive symptoms had a pooled prevalence of 35% (95% CI = 0.29, 0.43; 11 studies, 4069 athletes).
- The 12-month incidence of moderate to severe anxiety and depressive symptoms was 40% (95% CI = 0.24, 0.58; 3 studies, 611 athletes).
Why it matters
The findings indicate that clinically relevant anxiety and depressive symptoms are common in athletes, while estimates vary according to whether outcomes are diagnosed disorders or screening-defined symptoms. Recognising this distinction can help clinicians interpret prevalence data and supports attention to mental health assessment alongside athletes’ physical health.
What to keep in mind
Estimates for diagnosed disorders were based on few studies, including single-study estimates for depression and combined anxiety and depression. The 12-month incidence estimate also came from only 3 studies.