21. Mental health domain scores do not differ between contact and non-contact sport Division I student-athletes

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ID: 324517
2026
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Ranked #21 of 79 articles by views in archives of clinical neuropsychology : the official journal of the national academy of neuropsychologists

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Abstract
Abstract Purpose Despite expectations that greater exposure to physical contact and repetitive head impacts may link with poorer mental health, contact sport participation has not been consistently associated with greater depression or anxiety compared to non-contact sports. Examining differences across a broader array of mental health domains may help clarify whether psychological distress differs between contact and non-contact sports. Method 755 National Collegiate Athletics Association Division 1 student-athletes (contact n=310, non-contact n=455; mean age (sd)=19.7 (1.5); age range: 17-24 years; 38.5% female) completed the Counseling Center Assessment of Psychological Symptoms-Screen (CCAPS-Screen), which assesses eight domains of psychological distress (depression, generalized anxiety, social anxiety, academic distress, eating concerns, frustration, family distress, alcohol use) during the past two weeks. Multivariate analysis of covariance was used to examine differences across mental health domains between contact and non-contact sports. Follow-up analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was conducted to probe group differences among mental health domain scores, controlling for class year and sex. Results The overall multivariate effect of sport type was significant, Pillai’s Trace=0.057, F(8, 737)=5.62, p<.001, ηp2=0.06. Follow-up ANCOVAs revealed no significant differences between contact and non-contact sport athletes on any mental health domain (all ps adj>.05; all ηp2=.001-.005). Conclusions Using descriptive analyses, participation in contact sports was not associated with greater psychological distress relative to non-contact sports. Mental health challenges among student-athletes may reflect broader demands of collegiate athletics rather than risks unique to contact sports. These findings highlight the importance of addressing sport-independent stressors when supporting student-athlete mental health and warrant further study using more comprehensive approaches.
Reference Key
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Authors G Amadon, S M Hayes, J Houle, J T Worley
Journal archives of clinical neuropsychology : the official journal of the national academy of neuropsychologists
Year 2026
DOI
10.1093/arclin/acag055.021
URL
https://doi.org/10.1093/arclin/acag055.021
Keywords Keywords not found

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