There is a strong need for research in clinical sport psychology that does not merely gather information on prevalence rates and case studies of affected athletes, but also uncovers the underlying psychological variables which increase the risk for depression in elite athletes. Several cases of prominent elite athletes affected by depression have become publicly known, and psychological well-being and mental disorders have become topics of increasing public and scientific interest. However, few empirical data are available on this topic with elite athletes. The present thesis tries to uncover the sport-specific factors affecting depression in elite athletes. In doing so this thesis will first provide information on depression in the general population, and a developmental model, in order to establish a shared knowledge; it will then go into specifics regarding the targeted population of elite athletes.
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