ANXIETY DISORDERS AMONG ELITE ATHLETES

The experience of anxiety is ubiquitous among elite athletes. Indeed, sport psychologists and mental skills coaches have spent decades trying to develop and implement approaches to managing performance anxiety in sport. However, recent advances in mental health research have highlighted that more persistent experiences of clinically relevant anxiety, which are not confined exclusively to competition, are also present for a high proportion of elite athletes. Anxiety disorders are subsequently detrimental not only to performance, but to an individual's well-being and psychosocial health. In this chapter, we present current knowledge on anxiety disorders in athletes. A discussion of possible contributors to their occurrence, as well as best practice approaches to assessment and treatment, is provided.