A - 45 The Role of Avoidant Coping in Depression: Barriers to Training Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract Purpose The COVID-19 pandemic led to significant disruptions in collegiate athletes’ routines, including exercise and team practices, essential for mental health and physical performance. This study explored how disruptions to training and coping strategies influenced depressive symptoms in college athletes. We hypothesized that athletes who experienced more significant disruptions and relied on avoidant coping behaviors would report higher depressive symptoms. Method The study involved 28 collegiate athletes (ages 18–25) from various Penn State sports teams. Participants completed an online survey assessing the impact of COVID-19 on their exercise routines, coping strategies, and depressive symptoms. Measures included the Barriers to Training Questionnaire (BTQ), COPE Inventory, and the Depression subscale from the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Multiple regression analyses examined the relationships between training disruptions, coping strategies, and depression. Results Avoidant coping was significantly associated with depression (p = 0.008). Total Barriers to Training did not directly correlate with depression (p = 0.697), but avoidant coping exacerbated depressive symptoms. Active coping was not associated with depression (p = 0.18), nor did it interact with training disruptions to predict depression (p = 0.96). Conclusions The findings suggest that avoidant coping plays a crucial role in depression among athletes facing training disruptions due to the COVID-19 pandemic. While barriers to physical activity were not directly linked to depression, avoidant strategies, such as disengagement and denial, were significantly correlated with higher depression levels. These results highlight the importance of targeting maladaptive coping mechanisms in mental health interventions for athletes. Future research should explore interventions to reduce avoidant coping and improve mental health outcomes.