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Investigating the Prevalence and Risk Factors of Depression Symptoms among NCAA Division I Collegiate Athletes



Author(s)

Charles E. Cox, Lindsay Ross-Stewart and Brad D. Foltz

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DOI:10.17265/2332-7839/2017.01.002

This study aimed to determine an overall prevalence rate for depression symptoms among National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I collegiate athletes while also assessing various risk factors that may increase an athlete’s vulnerability to depression. Using a sample of 950 NCAA Division I athletes, it was found that 33.2% of athletes experienced symptoms of depression, contradicting findings from previous studies that have suggested a prevalence rate lower than the general college population. Female athletes (P = 0.00), underclassmen (P = 0.01), recently injured athletes (P = 0.05), and in-season athletes (P = 0.05), were all found to experience higher rates of depression symptoms than other athletes. It was found that 25.7% of athletes did not know how or where to access mental health treatment at their university, and 44.5% had received no mental health education from their athletic department. The results from this study suggest that depression is a more significant issue in college athletics than previously thought, and they highlight the need for continued improvements to be made in both the understanding of mental health issues in college athletics and the services that are provided to athletes. 

Depression, college athletics, injury.