Mental Health and Division I Athletes

Abstract

Mental health in Division I (DI) athletes has often been overlooked due to the perceived protective nature of sports. Existing data have typically relied on screening tools designed for the general population, which may not fully capture specific challenges athletes face. In this study, 192 DI athletes from American institutions completed three assessments: (1) Patient Health Questionnaire – 9 (PHQ-9); (2) Generalized Anxiety Disorder -7 (GAD-7); (3) Athlete Psychological Strain Questionnaire (APSQ). Participants were classified into risk categories based on pre-established cut-off scores for each assessment. Chi-square analyses were used to determine alignment of risk classification between the sport-specific assessment (APSQ) and each general assessment (PHQ-9; GAD-7). Classification for the APSQ scores were significantly associated with classification for both the PHQ-9 (χ2(1, N = 192) = 73.27, p < .001) and the GAD-7 (χ2(1, n = 175) = 51.39, p < .001. Therefore, the APSQ can be used with athletes alongside screening tools designed for the general population, though further research is needed to evaluate its potential as a standalone assessment tool.