Psychological strain among Spanish amateur athletes a cross-sectional study
Download this article Jorge García-Rubio *, Daniel González-Devesa **, Jose Carlos Diz-Gómez ***/****, Nerea Blanco-Martínez ***/**** and Carlos Ayán-Pérez ***/****
(*) Facultad de Ciencias de la Educación y del Deporte, Universidade de Vigo, Pontevedra, España
(**) Grupo de Investigación en Actividad Física, Educación, y Salud (GIAFES), Universidad Católica de Ávila, C/ Canteros, 05005, Ávila, España
(***) Well-Move Research Group, Galicia Sur Health Research Institute (IIS Galicia Sur), Sergas-Uvigo, Vigo, España
(****) Departamento de Didácticas Especiáis, Universidad de Vigo, Vigo, España
Citation
García-Rubio, J., González-Devesa, D., Diz-Gómez, J.C., Blanco-Martínez, N., Ayán-Pérez, C. (2026). Psychological strain among Spanish amateur athletes a cross-sectional study. International Journal of Sport Psychology, 57(1), 78-89. doi:10.7352/IJSP.2026.57.078
Abstract
This study aims to contribute to the existing body of research by providing data on the prevalence of psychological strain in a sample of amateur sports. Psychological strain was assessed in 359 Spanish amateur athletes using the APSQ. The mean APSQ score was 19.6±5.2, comparable to scores reported in elite athlete. Overall, 47.6% of participants reported high stress levels, and 23.1% reported very high stress. High distress was more frequent in women, while very high distress was more prevalent in men. Athletes involved in team sports reported higher levels of distress than those in individual sports. Very high stress was significantly more common among athletes who had sustained recent sports injuries. A linear regression analysis identified younger age and recent injury as significant predictors of psychological strain. These findings underscore the high prevalence of psychological strain among amateur athletes, with younger age and recent injuries emerging as key contributing factors.
Keywords: Amateur; Athletes; Psychological Strain; Sports injury; Mental Health