Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, GA,USA.
J Sport Rehabil. 2023 May 8;32(5):630-634. doi: 10.1123/jsr.2022-0362. Print 2023 Jul 1.
Athletic identity (AI) can be defined as, "the degree to which an individual identifies with an athlete role, and the values, and social networks associated with that identity," and can pose a problem when athletes do not explore themselves outside of sport. This lack of identity development beyond athletics has the potential to lead to the development of a high AI. High AI in athletes can have positive effects in areas such as performance, however, high AI may also pose negative consequences. The development of such an identity can limit the adaptive responses to substantial life changes such as retirement from sport. This inability to adapt may thereby contribute to mental health problems during the transition. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to better understand the relationship between athletic identity and mental health symptoms so clinicians may provide support to enable positive outcomes after retirement from sport.
What is the influence of athletic identity on mental health symptoms in athletes retiring from sports?
(1) High athletic identity contributes to increased mental health symptoms following retirement. (2) Athletic identity had no relationship to mental health symptoms during the preretirement phase of an athlete's career Clinical Bottom Line: The findings suggest that there is high-quality evidence to support that AI has no relationship with mental health symptoms during the preretirement phase and that athletes with high AI are more likely to experience mental health symptoms during their transition out of or retirement from sport.
The grade of B is recommended by the Strength of Recommendation taxonomy for consistent, limited-quality, patient-oriented evidence that high AI has a strong relationship to mental health symptoms following retirement in athletes.
运动认同（AI）可被定义为“个体对运动员角色、以及与该身份相关的价值观和社交网络的认同程度”，当运动员不在运动之外探索自己时，这种认同可能会成为一个问题。这种超越运动的认同发展不足有可能导致 AI 升高。高 AI 在运动员中可能在表现等方面产生积极影响，但高 AI 也可能带来负面后果。这种认同的发展可能会限制对重大生活变化（如退役）的适应性反应。这种无法适应可能会导致退役期间心理健康问题。因此，本研究旨在更好地理解运动认同与心理健康症状之间的关系，以便临床医生提供支持，使运动员在退役后取得积极成果。
运动认同对退役运动员的心理健康症状有何影响？
（1）高运动认同会导致退役后心理健康症状增加。（2）运动认同与运动员职业生涯的退役前阶段的心理健康症状无关。
研究结果表明，有高质量证据支持 AI 在退役前阶段与心理健康症状无关，高 AI 的运动员在退役或离开运动时更有可能出现心理健康症状。
根据推荐分级的强度分类法，推荐等级为 B，这是因为有一致的、有限质量的、以患者为中心的证据表明，高 AI 与运动员退役后的心理健康症状有很强的关系。
