Abstract
Objective : Since university athletes must function as both students and athletes, we can assume negative Spillover will occur when a stresSful condition arises in one of these roles.This study investigated negative spillover (pilot study) and its influence on the severity of depression symptoms (main study).
Participants : The participants were Japanese athletes belonging to a competitive sports club at a sports university (Pilot study=67, Main study=254).
Methods : In the pilot study, we collected free descriptions of competitive stressors from Japanese university athletes.In the main study, we conducted a questionnaire survey based on these NSP items and depression scale (SDS).
Results : In the pilot study, we collected descriptions relating to NSP from 38 (56.7%) reports of stress.In the main study, a factor analysis classified NSP items into psychological or physical phenomenon. In our data, the student-to-athlete psychological NSP (S-A-PsNSP) and the physicalNSP (S-A-PhNSP) were correlated with depression in all samples (r>.20, p<.05).Furthermore, in addition to these spillovers, the athlete-to-student NSP (A-S-PsNSP and A-S-PhNSP) were correlated with depression in the samples with the same competitive profile (r>.20, p<.05).
Conclusions : In conclusion, our two main findings were : 1) NSP in the stress reported by university athletes was confirmed;2) NSP was one of the stress phenomena related to depression.
