Reducing reinjury anxiety in athletes: the use of gratitude

Graham, Ryan Paige Graham

Publication

Reducing reinjury anxiety in athletes: the use of gratitude

Graham, Ryan Paige Graham

Date

2023-05-08

Abstract

Sports injuries are inevitable, however, adapting the recovery process to ensure maximal performance when returning to sport is a topic that requires more research. People commonly experience anxiety of reinjury when returning to sport that medical professionals often do not acknowledge when clearing athletes for performance. Therefore, disregarding the psychological component of rehabilitation is neglecting their optimized performance outcome. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a one-time gratitude intervention on state gratitude, reinjury anxiety, life and sport satisfaction, and anxiety of returning to sport. Twenty-two injured athletes with at least three years of sport experience took five baseline questionnaires assessing state gratitude, perceived social support, psychological distress, satisfaction with life, and kinesiophobia. After the baseline measurement, athletes completed an online gratitude intervention and then completed the same questionnaires. The intervention included a didactic and an introspective portion allowing participants to write what they were grateful and why via Qualtrics. Results indicated that the gratitude intervention slightly reduced gratitude levels. All other measures were non-significant but showed to trend in the desired direction (decreasing negative affect and increasing positive affect). The gratitude intervention may have brought light to the injury resulting in the worse gratitude scores. Gratitude may be beneficial when used consistently and when implemented in person. Future research should assess an in-person intervention and should include analysis of gender and sport differences.