A recent study of former NFL players revealed that leaving their sport involuntarily and without a transition plan was associated with greater severity of current depressive and anxiety symptoms. Further researcher is needed to understand how transition-related factors influence functioning in athletes discontinuing participation from sport at lower levels of play (high school, college, etc.). This research identifies potential targets for future interventions aimed to facilitate transition out of sport.
DeFreese, J. D., Walton, S. R., Kerr, Z. Y., Brett, B. L., Chandran, A., Mannix, R., Campbell, H., Echemendia, R. J., McCrea, M. A., Meehan, W. P., & Guskiewicz, K. M. (2022). Transition-related psychosocial factors and mental health outcomes in former National Football League players: An NFL-LONG study. Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 1(online ahead of print), 1-8. https://doi.org/10.1123/jsep.2021-0218