The Effect of Covid-19 Fear on Anxiety, Depression, and Stress in Athlete Students: The Mediating Role of Psychological Resilience

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic is likely to have short- and long-term psycho-social consequences on individuals besides serious physical and mental effects, especially for young people. These days, when psychological problems are more noticeable, especially in young athletes, it is possible to trigger various anxiety disorders such as depression, anxiety, and stress caused by the pandemic. Considering that psychological characteristics such as depression, anxiety, and stress in young people may increase the risk of psycho-social disorders, this study aims to examine the effect of the fear of COVID-19 on the depression, anxiety, and stress levels of undergraduate athlete students and to seek an answer to the question of whether psychological resilience has a mediating role. The research was carried out with 372 athlete students studying at the undergraduate level and continuing their sports lives actively. Structural equation modeling was used to determine the direct and indirect predictive effects between variables in data analysis. The results of the study show that psychological resilience has a significant predictor effect on depression, anxiety, and stress.