Depressive symptoms in high-performance athletes and non-athletes: a comparative meta-analysis.
Level 3 - non-randomized controlled study
Systematic review and meta-analysis of observational comparative studies
PubMed 28254747 · doi:10.1136/bjsports-2016-096455
What was done
A systematic review and comparative odds ratio (OR) meta-analysis was conducted across PsycINFO, PubMed, MEDLINE, CINAHL, SPORTDiscus, Google Scholar, and relevant reference lists. Included studies directly compared high-performance athletes to non-athletes, used validated self-report measures of depressive symptoms, and reported the prevalence of at least mild depressive symptoms.
What was found
Across 5 included articles (1,545 high-performance athletes and 1,811 non-athletes), high-performance athletes were no more likely than non-athletes to report mild or more severe depressive symptoms (OR = 1.15, 95% CI 0.954 to 1.383, p = 0.145). Sex-stratified analyses showed no significant differences between athletes and non-athletes for males (OR = 1.17, 95% CI 0.839 to 1.616, p = 0.362; n = 940 athletes vs 605 non-athletes) or females (OR = 1.11, 95% CI 0.846 to 1.442, p = 0.464; n = 948 athletes vs 605 non-athletes). However, within the high-performance athlete cohort, males were 52% less likely than females to report mild or more severe symptoms (OR = 0.48, 95% CI 0.369 to 0.621, p < 0.001; n = 874 males vs 705 females).
Why it matters
This review challenges assumptions that elite athletic participation either protects against or substantially elevates depressive symptoms compared to the general population. It also confirms that female athletes report a higher burden of depressive symptoms than male athletes, mirroring general population trends.
Limits
The total evidence base was small, comprising only five eligible comparative studies. All included studies relied on self-report screening tools rather than structured clinical diagnostic interviews for depressive disorders. Potential variations in sport types, competitive levels, or seasonal timing were not accounted for in the abstract.
Cited by
- contradicts Most Olympic athletes who win a medal experience clinical depression in the wake of winning.