Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Date

2025

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy

Department

Counseling Psychology

Committee Chair

Dr. Suzanne Lease

Committee Member

Dr. Meghan Pfeiffer

Committee Member

Dr. Sara Bridges

Committee Member

Dr. Will Adams

Abstract

Injury is a common occurrence among athletes, and research indicates that when athletes experience an injury, they frequently experience negative psychological consequences. Most of the literature related to the psychological impact of injury centers around higher-level (i.e., professional, college, and elite) athletes, with limited literature for amateur athletes who also experience injury. More specifically, there is also sparse scholarship examining the psychological impact of moderate and severe injuries for amateur athletes that experience them. Considering the gaps in the literature, the current study examined the psychological impact of participation-altering and participation-ending injuries in amateur athletes (N = 177), while also asking about amateur athletes’ desires for accessing mental health treatment following injury, their perceptions of that treatment, and reasons for not seeking treatment. Results indicated that amateur athletes who reported moderate or severe injuries experienced psychological distress, ranging from little to no distress to moderate distress following injury, with frustration, anxiety, depression, loss of control, and anger being the categories having the highest distress levels. Correlational analyses demonstrated a moderately strong relationship between level of athletic identity and level of distress following participation-altering or participation-ending injury. Results showed that most amateur athletes that experienced a moderate or severe injury did not seek counseling following their injuries. There were five relevant themes as to why participants did not seek counseling following injury. These themes were: counseling was not perceived as necessary, stigma, fear/shame, cost, and lack of time. The results of this study confirm that like their more elite colleagues, amateur athletes also endorse moderate levels of athletic identity that are associated with distress when they have to reduce their athletic participation. Amateur athletes that did seek psychological assistance following injury most frequently sought help from physical therapists, mental health counselors, and coaches. It is recommended that those individuals most likely to work with injured amateur athletes consider how they might also address some of the psychological distress their clients are experiencing. Future studies may also look to utilize a mixed-methods approach to further understand why amateur athletes’ that experience moderate or severe injuries are seldomly seeking help for the psychological impact of injury and how treatment can be improved.

Comments

Data is provided by the student.

Library Comment

Dissertation or thesis originally submitted to ProQuest.

Notes

Open Access

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