Seasonal Mental Health Changes in College Athletes

Abstract

This study examines the impact of the athletic season on the mental health of collegiate athletes, focusing on changes in depression and anxiety levels. A sample of 40 fall-season college athletes completed assessments before and after their competitive season using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7). Paired-samples t-tests revealed a significant increase in depression scores from pre-season to post-season (p < .001), suggesting elevated depressive symptoms as the season progressed. Conversely, anxiety scores significantly decreased over the same period (p < .001), indicating reduced anxiety following the conclusion of competition. Strong positive correlations between pre- and post-season scores were observed for both depression (r = .794) and anxiety (r = .799), highlighting consistency in individual mental health trends across the season. These findings suggest that while the athletic season may alleviate anticipatory anxiety, it may also contribute to increased depressive symptoms, possibly due to cumulative stress, performance pressures, and academic demands. The results underscore the importance of ongoing mental health support for student-athletes throughout the athletic cycle.