Differences in Exercise Stress, Job Satisfaction, Intention to Quit Exercise, and Quality of Life According to the Psychological Abuse Experiences of Elite Male Athletes

TL;DR

This study examines how psychological abuse affects elite male athletes' stress, job satisfaction, intention to quit, and quality of life.

Contribution

The study identifies causal effects of psychological abuse on mental health and performance outcomes in elite athletes.

Findings

Athletes with abuse experiences showed higher exercise stress compared to non-abused athletes.

Abused athletes reported higher intention to quit exercise and lower quality of life.

The findings highlight the need for policies to address psychological abuse in sports.

Abstract

This study aimed to further understand psychological abuse in sports and contribute to the development of elite sports and athletes’ persistent performance by identifying the causal effects of psychological abuse on elite athletes’ exercise stress, job satisfaction, intention to quit exercise, and quality of life (QOL). Data were collected from 363 elite South Korean male athletes (ages ≥ 20 years) from August to September 2023. The independent variable for comparative analysis was the presence or absence of psychological abuse in elite male athletes by coaches. The participants were divided into two groups: a non-abuse-experienced group (Group 1) and an abuse-experienced group (Group 2). Participants’ demographic and athletic background information (e.g., career and sport) were also collected. This study showed that the three factors (exercise stress, intention to quit exercise, and QOL) were higher in Group 2 than in Group 1. These findings provide a meaningful analysis of the impact of psychological abuse on the mental health, persistence, and overall QOL of elite male athletes that can be used to develop countermeasures and policies against psychological abuse that threatens the mental health of elite athletes.