Publication: Health Behavior and Emotional Responses of Thai National Team Athletes during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Comparative Study of Individual and Team Sports
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Issued Date
2025-08-01
Resource Type
ISSN
10873244
eISSN
19457359
Scopus ID
2-s2.0-105021602029
Journal Title
American Journal of Health Behavior
Volume
49
Issue
4
Start Page
383
End Page
394
Rights Holder(s)
SCOPUS
Bibliographic Citation
American Journal of Health Behavior Vol.49 No.4 (2025) , 383-394
Suggested Citation
Pluemsamran T., Pariyavuth P., Pochai N., Panurushthanon P., Punthipayanon S. Health Behavior and Emotional Responses of Thai National Team Athletes during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Comparative Study of Individual and Team Sports. American Journal of Health Behavior Vol.49 No.4 (2025) , 383-394. 394. doi:10.5993/AJHB.49.4.2 Retrieved from: https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14740/51652
Corresponding Author(s)
Other Contributor(s)
Abstract
Objectives: COVID-19 significantly impacted athletes’ health behavior and emotional well-being. Disruptions to training routines, competition schedules, and social structures raised concerns about psychological resilience, especially for elite athletes. In this study, we (1) adapted and validated the Emotional State Questionnaire (EST-Q-2) for Thai athletes, (2) examined the emotional responses and associated health behavior patterns of Thai national team athletes during the COVID-19 pandemic, and (3) compared emotional states between individual and team sport athletes. Methods: We surveyed 280 Thai national team athletes (146 male, 134 female) preparing for the 19th Asian Games. Participants completed the culturally adapted EST-Q-2, measuring 5 dimensions: depression, general anxiety, panic disorder, fatigue, and insomnia. We compared emotional responses by sport type. Results: The most prominent symptoms reported were fatigue and insomnia (M = 3.26), general anxiety (M = 2.84), depression (M = 2.35), and panic disorder (M = 2.17). We found no statistically significant differences between individual and team sport athletes across emotional dimensions. The adapted EST-Q-2 demonstrated strong reliability (Cronbach’s α = 0.80). Conclusion: The COVID-19 pandemic adversely affected the emotional states and health behavior of Thai national athletes, with high levels of fatigue and sleep disturbances. The lack of significant differences between sport types indicates a universal psychological impact, underscoring the need for targeted mental health interventions regardless of sport category.