Psychological Impact of the Quarantine-Induced Stress during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Outbreak among Italian Athletes

• Published in: International journal of environmental research and public health 2020-11, Vol.17 (23), p.8867
• Main Authors: di Cagno, Alessandra, Buonsenso, Andrea, Baralla, Francesca, Grazioli, Elisa, Di Martino, Giulia, Lecce, Edoardo, Calcagno, Giuseppe, Fiorilli, Giovanni
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adolescents; Adult; Adults; Age; Athletes; Athletes - psychology; Avoidance; Avoidance behavior; Child; Children; Coronaviruses; COVID-19; Disease transmission; Epidemics; Female; Gender; Humans; Infections; Italy - epidemiology; Male; Outbreaks; Pandemics; Paralympic Games; Perceptions; Psychology; Quarantine; Quarantine - psychology; Questionnaires; Stress; Stress, Psychological - epidemiology; Surveys and Questionnaires; Teenagers; Well being; Young Adult
• ISSN: 1660-4601; 1661-7827; 1660-4601
• DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17238867

The 2019 Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak caused home confinement, as well as training and sport competitions withdrawals. The prolonged inactivity impact, and lack of in-person interactions among teammates-coaches, could negatively affect athletes. Total of 1508 self-selected Italian athletes, 338 children (aged 10.52 ± 1.31), 499 adolescents (aged 14.17 ± 1.13), and 671 adults (aged 27.59 ± 10.73), completed the Impact of Event Scale (IES-8, IES-15, and IES-R, respectively). Differences by gender, type of sport (individual vs. team), and competitive level (elite vs. amateur) were examined. One-way ANOVAs showed, in adults, significant differences between genders for perceived stress impact total score (TS; = 0.017) and avoidance behavior, with higher scores in women ( = 0.045). Between individual and team sport, significant differences were found in TS ( = 0.038) and hyperarousal ( = 0.030), with higher results in individual. Adult elite athletes showed significantly higher scores in hyperarousal ( = 0.020) than amateurs. Significant differences were found between gender in adolescents for avoidance ( = 0.011), and between competitive levels in children, for intrusion ( = 0.020). These evidences may raise awareness on distress effects of COVID-19 lockdown among athletes and suggested applying specific well-being protocols during the activity resumption, considering gender, type of sport, and competitive level.