2018 Volume 64 Issue Suppl.1 Pages 60-63
Introduction & Purpose: In the case of an excessive burden imposed on self, a person with vulnerability he/she perceives unprotected against the load. Vulnerability is defined as “a susceptibility to damage to self, a state that may be fragile or hurt.” University athletes may often experience psychological, physical, and social stressors, which may cause vulnerable athletes to exhibit stress responses. Our previous studies of vulnerability among athletes have revealed that women have higher scores than men. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the relationship between vulnerability and depression among Japanese university athletes by gender.
Method: Participants were 363 university athletes (men=193, women=170, mean age=19.0 years, SD=1.07). The Athletic Vulnerability Scale (AVS) and Self-Depression Scale (SDS) were used. We analyzed the relationships between these variables using the Pearson’s product-moment correlation coefficient by gender.
Result & Discussion: The results revealed a significant relationship between the total scores on the AVS and SDS in both men and women (r=0.26 and 0.32 respectively, p<0.01). Additionally, in both men and women, the subscale scores on the AVS and SDS were also significantly correlated (men: r=0.18-0.30, p<0.01 and 0.05, women: r=0.22-0.31, p<0.01).
Conclusion: We concluded that vulnerability and depression are closely associated in both men and women athletes, and its relationship differs by gender.
