# Variables and instruments for assessing mental health in competitive swimmers: A narrative review

## TL;DR

This review explores mental health variables and tools used to assess mental health in competitive swimmers, highlighting the need for clearer definitions and collaborative approaches.

## Contribution

The paper provides a narrative review of mental health assessment variables and instruments specific to competitive swimmers, emphasizing gaps in current research.

## Key findings

- Mental health in swimmers is assessed using various variables and tools, but definitions and methods lack consistency.
- Most studies use small samples without intervention or prevention protocols.
- Collaborative and interdisciplinary programs are needed for effective mental health support in swimming.

## Abstract

Background: Mental health issues are becoming increasingly prevalent among elite athletes, and during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, this issue became a pressing concern. In particular, several athletes complained about their mental health in relation to the highly demanding demands of their sport. High-performance swimming exposes athletes to a variety of stressors due to the physical, technical and mental demands of the sport. The study has carried out a narrative review of the main variables related to mental health, their dimensions and evaluations in competitive swimmers.

Methods: Clearly planned and ordered potential studies were identified using combined search methods. The search was carried out in different bibliographic databases (Dialnet, Web of Science and Scopus) between 1990 and 2023. We then searched Google Scholar and manually searched the reference lists of the retrieved studies to identify potentially eligible studies that were not included in the electronic searches. The studies were examined from three different perspectives. Firstly, the methodology, sample, swimming categories and their relationship with mental health were analysed. Secondly, the variables related to mental health symptoms and disorders. Finally, the main mental health analysis tools and the conclusions of the studies.

Results: The concept of mental health in competitive swimmers needs to be clarified in the scientific literature, as different variables have been analysed and multiple instruments have been used with small samples of swimmers, without any intervention and prevention protocol. In addition, the bodies and institutions involved should work in an interdisciplinary and collaborative manner, establishing specific programmes to ensure effective prevention and care.

Conclusions: Studies are needed to fill this gap and it is necessary to work under the same consensus and in collaboration with specified technical teams. In order to monitor, evaluate and provide services through detection tests and support to swimmers in their training and competitions.