INTRODUCTION:
Mental health of athletes can predict their sports and behavioral performance, making it an important field to explore.
OBJECTIVE:
The aim of this study was to investigate the mental health and associated factors in athletes who participated in the Santa Catarina Open Games of 2011, Brazil.
METHODS:
The sample consisted of 445 athletes who participated in the competition (211 men and 234 women). For the data collection the Questionnaire of Characterization and the Brunel Mood Scale were used. Data were collected individually at the competition between 30 and 50 minutes before the athletes compete. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics (mean, frequency and percentage) and inferential statistics (Kruskal-Wallis, Mann Whitney and Spearman correlation with α set at 0.05).
RESULTS:
The athletes competed in 10 different sports, individual and collective. Most athletes are high school students or attended high school or university, with over than seven years of practice and participation in state and national competitions. Most athletes had perceived quality of rest and sleep between good and regular during the competition. In general, the athletes had good mental health, with a profile similar to an iceberg (high vigor, moderate levels of stress and low fatigue, depression, anger and confusion). Athletes with a better perception of sleep and health that do not use mood regulators have better mental health.
CONCLUSION:
It is evident the good quality of health among athletes participating in this study, highlighting a special care regarding the implications of sleep quality and the use of mood regulators in the mental health of athletes.
rest; mood; sports
