• Zarina A Giannone, Colleen J Haney, David Kealy, and John S Ogrodniczuk.
• 1 Department of Educational and Counselling Psychology, and Special Education, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
• Int J Soc Psychiatry. 2017 Nov 1; 63 (7): 598-601.

BackgroundDespite evidence identifying adjustment difficulties among retiring athletes, research investigating factors that contribute to post-retirement complications is limited. Athletic identity may be an important determinant of adverse adaptation to sport retirement.AimsThe purpose of this study was to address the influence of athletic identity on post-retirement depression and anxiety symptoms among varsity athletes.MethodAn anonymous, online survey regarding athletic identity and psychiatric symptoms was completed by 72 self-identified varsity athletes during their final season of competition and 3 months after retiring from sport.ResultsAfter controlling for the effects of pre-retirement anxiety symptoms, endorsement of an athletic identity significantly predicted anxiety symptoms in the post-retirement period. A similar, but non-significant, pattern was observed for depressive symptoms.ConclusionThe findings of this study suggest that athletes' degree of athletic identity may be a risk factor for the emergence of psychiatric distress in the months following their retirement from sport. Identity-focused screening or intervention during athletes' sport careers could potentially mitigate some of the psychological difficulties associated with sport retirement.

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