Mental health of youth athletes during the second year of the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan: A three-wave cross-sectional study.

ABSTRACT:

Aim

This study aimed to examine the mental health of Japanese youth athletes during the second year of the COVID-19 pandemic and explore its associations with demographic and sport-related factors.

Methods

Three cross-sectional online surveys were conducted at a public high school in Japan in Spring 2021 (baseline; n = 1022), Fall 2021 (n = 1104), and Spring 2022 (n = 1066). Mental health was assessed using the Kessler-6 (K6), Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), and Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) scales. Participants were categorized as youth athletes (national-level competitors [NC] and local-level competitors [LC]) or nonathlete students (NAS). Logistic regression was used to identify the mental health risk factors.

Results

Compared

SUBMITTER: Yano F 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12357596 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature