Patterns of change in athletic identity and mental health in elite Polish athletes with disabilities during the COVID-19 pandemic: a 3-month longitudinal study

BACKGROUND: This study examined patterns of change in athletic identity and their associations with mental health indicators in elite Polish athletes with disabilities during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: In a 3-month longitudinal study conducted from April to July 2021, 91 athletes enrolled in the Polish Paralympic Preparation Program twice completed the Athletic Identity Measurement Scale-Third Generation (AIMS-3G), the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), and the Revised UCLA Loneliness Scale. Using Bonanno's pooled-SD approach, athletes were classified as showing decreasing, stable, or increasing athletic identity. Group differences in change scores were tested with multivariate analysis of variance and Bonferroni post hoc tests. RESULTS: Most athletes showed stable athletic identity (77%), whereas decreasing (13%) and increasing (10%) patterns were less common. The multivariate effect was significant, F(6, 172) = 4.30, p < .001, Wilks' Λ = .76, ηp2 = .13. Athletes with decreasing athletic identity showed greater increases in depression and loneliness than athletes with stable or increasing athletic identity (p ≤ .01). CONCLUSIONS: Athletic identity remained predominantly stable, but decreases in athletic identity were associated with worsening depression and loneliness. Brief AIMS monitoring alongside mental health screening may be useful for identifying athletes who may require additional support during prolonged disruptions to sport participation.