Exploring gender-based disparities in emotional distress among university level athletes

Authors

  • Sohom Saha Department of Sports Psychology, Lakshmibai National Institute of Physical Education, Gwalior, India https://orcid.org/0009-0006-9438-1554
  • Farjana Akter Boby Department of Physical Education and Sports Science, Daffodil International University, Dhaka, Bangladesh. https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3168-6888
  • Arnav Sharma Department of Physical Education Pedagogy, Lakshmibai National Institute of Physical Education, Gwalior, India
  • Sourav Ganguly Jadavpur University, Kolkata, India
  • Kautilya Upadhyay Department of Sports Management and Coaching, Lakshmibai National Institute of Physical Education, Gwalior, India https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6639-3669
  • Awesh Khati Department of Physical Education Pedagogy, Lakshmibai National Institute of Physical Education, Gwalior, India https://orcid.org/0009-0009-9090-1593
  • Dev Karan Singh Department of Exercise Physiology, Lakshmibai National Institute of Physical Education, Gwalior, india https://orcid.org/0009-0009-1411-2437
  • Kamal Dhoni Department of Sports Management and Coaching, Lakshmibai National Institute of Physical Education, Gwalior, India https://orcid.org/0009-0008-6773-7740
  • Debajit Karmakar Department of Physical Education Pedagogy, Lakshmibai National Institute of Physical Education, Gwalior, India https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9272-0627

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.47197/retos.v64.110294

Keywords:

Anxiety, depression, emotional symptoms, Gender differences, mental health

Abstract

Introduction: The mental health of university level athletes is a growing concern, with female athletes facing unique emotional challenges that remain underexplored.  Objective: This study aims to examine gender-based disparities in depression, anxiety, and stress among university-level volleyball, basketball, and handball players to understand sport-specific and gender-specific emotional dynamics. Methodology: A cross-sectional comparative design was used, involving 60 university athletes (30 males, 30 females) aged 18-25 from LNIPE, Gwalior. Emotional symptoms were assessed using the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scales (DASS-42). Independent t-tests and one-way ANOVA were employed to analyze gender and sport differences, with significance set at p < 0.05. Results: Results revealed distinct gender-based patterns: male volleyball players reported significantly higher levels of stress (mean score 24.80) and depression (mean score 17.60) compared to their female counterparts, while female basketball players exhibited greater depression (mean score 17.10) than males. Among handball players, females experienced significantly higher stress levels (mean score 19.70) compared to males. Discussion: The findings suggest gender-specific emotional responses to competitive sports, possibly influenced by societal expectations, coping strategies, and sport-specific stressors. Volleyball's individual performance components may increase stress for male athletes, while basketball's physical demands might elevate depression levels among females. Handball's continuous play and physical contact likely contribute to elevated stress in female players. Conclusions: Developing psychological support systems for university athletes can mitigate emotional challenges and optimize performance. Future research should explore longitudinal changes in emotional symptoms and their relationship with competitive dynamics.

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Published

2025-03-01

How to Cite

Saha, S. ., Boby, F. A., Sharma, A., Ganguly, S., Upadhyay, K., Khati, A., … Karmakar, D. (2025). Exploring gender-based disparities in emotional distress among university level athletes. Retos, 64, 163–175. https://doi.org/10.47197/retos.v64.110294

Issue

Vol. 64 (2025)

Section

Original Research Article

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Copyright (c) 2025 Sohom Saha, Farjana Akter Boby, Arnav Sharma, Sourav Ganguly, Kautilya Upadhyay, Awesh Khati, Dev Karan Singh, Kamal Dhoni, Debajit Karmakar

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