Psychological well-being of Mexican adolescent athletes confined by the COVID-19 pandemic

The present pandemic has affected psychological well-being in all areas, but in adolescent athletes, its impact is unknown. The objective of the present research is to determine the perceived psychological well-being, subjective vitality and mental strength of confined Mexican adolescent athletes depending on: sex, age and type of sport, as well as the predictive role of different variables evaluated in the perceived psychological well-being of athletes. 522 high level athletes, 280 men and 242 women, 16 +/- 1y, were administered the Psychological Well-being Scale for Adolescents (BIEPS-J), the Subjective Vitality Scale, and the translation of the Mental Toughness Inventory (MTI). The results showed that 15% of the athletes perceived low psychological well-being, self-acceptance was the most damaged dimension Males showed better perceived psychological well-being, increased vitality and in mental strength (p = 0.003, p = 0.001;p = 0.003). The variables included in the model that best explained the high and low levels of well-being were mental toughness (37%). It is suggested that third generation positive interventions will be implemented in sports care programs after confinement. Furthermore, we consider it necessary to continue exploring variables that can predict the psychological well-being.

Sport during the COVID-19 bio-bubble: Wellness and opinions in South African elite football.

Background: COVID-19 imposed challenges on professional sport, with restrictions leading to the delay in the completion of the South African Premier Soccer League (PSL). Creating a biologically safe environment (BSE) provided a solution enabling the 2019/2020 season to be completed. Objectives: Evaluating the impact that the BSE had on player wellness and what coping mechanisms were used in the BSE. Methods: A questionnaire was distributed to PSL teams on the final weekend in the BSE. It consisted of three validated psychology questionnaires. An additional section focused on the impact and coping strategies during the PSL's BSE. Results: A total of 37 completed questionnaires were analysed. General anxiety (4.7±4.2) and depression levels (4.8±3.9) were at an overall low. The health of the players, as well as separation from and concerns about family, were the greatest contributors to anxiety. Electronic communication with family and friends, social interactions with others in the BSE and time spent on self-reflection were important coping mechanisms for players. As time progressed, they adapted to the BSE. Conclusion: The BSE did not have a negative impact on the anxiety and depression levels of the respondents, with a variety of coping mechanisms key helping them adapt in the BSE.

The impact of religiosity on political skill: Evidence from Muslim hotel employees in Turkey

Purpose: While former literature has shown that people have a strong tendency to seek religious support during difficult times, knowledge gaps exist in how the mechanism of religiosity works to support employees' mental status and performance. Therefore, based on self-categorization theory, this study aims to examine the effects of employees' intrinsic and extrinsic religiosity on building their mental toughness and mindfulness and the further formation of employees' political skills. Design/methodology/approach: Data was collected from 404 full-time hotel employees working in 34 hotels in Turkey during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in spring 2020. Structural equation modeling was used to examine the proposed hypotheses. Findings: Results of this study show that intrinsic religiosity improves employees' mental toughness, while extrinsic religiosity enhances employee mindfulness. Additionally, both mental toughness and mindfulness help employees to develop political skill. Research limitations/implications: This study enriches knowledge to workplace religiosity literature and expands the research scope of religion-related research in hospitality and tourism literature. Future studies are recommended to consider religious heterogeneity and longitudinal design. Practical implications: To foster employee mental well-being, hotel firms should create a religious-friendly workplace and develop religion-friendly policies. Opportunities should be created within hospitality organizations for employees to develop and use their political skills in needed work aspects. Originality/value: The findings of this study contribute to valuable theoretical and practical implications. To the best of the knowledge, this study is one of the first attempts to study hotel employees' religiosity during the COVID-19 pandemic. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved)

The Potential Benefits of Non-skills Training (Mental Toughness) for Elite Athletes: Coping With the Negative Psychological Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic.

The spread of COVID-19 has had a significant impact on global sport. This is especially true at the elite level, where it has disrupted training and competition. Concomitantly, restrictions have disrupted long-term event planning. Many elite athletes remain unsure when major events will occur and worry about further interruptions. Although some athletes have successfully adapted to the demands of the COVID-19 crisis, many have experienced difficulties adjusting. This has resulted in psychological complications including increased stress, anxiety, and depression. This article critically examines the extent to which non-cognitive skills training, in the form of increased awareness of Mental Toughness, can help elite athletes inoculate against and cope with negative psychological effects arising from the COVID-19 pandemic. Non-cognitive skills encompass intrapersonal (motivations, learning strategies, and self-regulation) and interpersonal (interactions with others) domains not directly affected by intellectual capacity. Previous research indicates that enhancement of these spheres can assist performance and enhance mental well-being. Moreover, it suggests that training in the form of increased awareness of Mental Toughness, can improve the ability to cope with COVID-19 related challenges. In this context, Mental Toughness encompasses a broad set of enabling attributes (i.e., inherent and evolved values, attitudes, emotions, and cognitions). Indeed, academics commonly regard Mental Toughness as a resistance resource that protects against stress. Accordingly, this article advocates the use of the 4/6Cs model of Mental Toughness (i.e., Challenge, Commitment, Control, and Confidence) to counter negative psychological effects arising from COVID-19.

Differences in psychiatric symptoms between the UK and Greece prior to and during COVID-19: The roles of subclinical narcissism and mental toughness.

At the onset of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, countries reported elevated rates of psychiatric symptoms. Previous research indicates that subclinical narcissism may reduce depression and stress through mental toughness. The researchers collected data from the United Kingdom (UK) and Greece (GR) on self-reported depression, anxiety, stress, COVID-19 related worry, subclinical narcissism, and mental toughness. Two samples, one cross-sectional (N = 1846) and one semi-longitudinal (N = 184), were used to compare rates of psychiatric symptoms pre and during COVID-19 across the UK and GR, and to test a path model in which subclinical narcissism reduced psychiatric symptoms through mental toughness. From pre to during COVID-19, UK participants exhibited increased depression, lower anxiety, and no change in stress, whereas GR participants showed a decrease in anxiety and stress and consistently low symptoms of depression. Subclinical narcissism exerted a negative indirect effect on psychiatric symptoms through mental toughness in both samples, but a negative total effect on anxiety and stress only in the UK sample. Findings indicate that exploring links between narcissism and prosocial traits can provide novel insights into differences in the adaptive use of personality traits in relation to mental health.

Mood Responses and Regulation Strategies Used During COVID-19 Among Boxers and Coaches.

The COVID-19 pandemic brought unprecedented changes to daily life and in the first wave in the UK, it led to a societal shutdown including playing sport and concern was placed for the mental health of athletes. Identifying mood states experienced in lockdown and self-regulating strategies is useful for the development of interventions to help mood management. Whilst this can be done on a general level, examination of sport-specific effects and the experience of athletes and coaches can help develop interventions grounded in real world experiences. The present study investigated perceived differences in mood states of boxers before and during COVID-19 isolation in the first lockdown among boxers. Boxing is an individual and high-contact sport where training tends to form a key aspect of their identity. Boxers develop close relationships with their coach and boxing. Hence boxers were vulnerable to experiencing negative mood, and support via the coach was potentially unavailable. Participants were 58 experienced participants (44 boxers, male n = 33, female n = 11; 14 boxing coaches, male n = 11, female n = 3). Boxers completed the Brunel Mood Scale to assess mood before COVID-19 using a retrospective approach and during COVID-19 using a "right now" time frame. Boxers responded to open-ended questions to capture mood regulation strategies used. Coaches responded to open ended questions to capture how they helped regulate boxer's mood. MANOVA results indicated a large significant increase in the intensity of unpleasant moods (anger, confusion, depression, fatigue, and tension) and reduction in vigor during COVID-19 (d = 0.93). Using Lane and Terry (2000) conceptual framework, results showed participants reporting depressed mood also reported an extremely negative mood profile as hypothesized. Qualitative data indicated that effective mood-regulation strategies used included maintaining close coach-athlete contact and helping create a sense of making progress in training. When seen collectively, findings illustrate that mood state responses to COVID-19 were severe. It is suggested that that active self-regulation and self-care should be a feature of training programmes to aid coaches and boxers in regulating mood when faced with severe situational changes.

The Relationship Between Mental Toughness, Job Loss, and Mental Health Issues During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Concerns toward public well-being and mental health are increasing considering the COVID-19 pandemic's global societal and individual impact. The present study builds on the current body of COVID-19 literature by examining the role of mental toughness (MT) in predicting negative affective states (depression, anxiety and stress) during the pandemic. The study also examined the effects of changes in employment on mental health and MT. Participants (N = 723) completed a battery of questionnaires including the Mental Toughness Questionnaire 48-item, The State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, and the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale - 21 items. Participants reported relatively higher levels of depression, stress and anxiety in comparison to pre-COVID-19 samples from previous research, with respondents who had lost their jobs during the pandemic reporting higher levels of negative affective states. Despite this, mentally tough individuals appeared to report lower levels of depression, anxiety and stress. Moreover, moderation analyses identified some interaction between MT and employment status when predicting depression, anxiety and stress. Our findings suggest that MT may have some utility in reducing the adverse mental health effects of the pandemic on individuals, however, further longitudinal research is needed to support these implications.