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Results challenge the narrative linking concussion with mental health issues, indicating that team settings in contact sports might provide some degree of protection

Recent investigations into health outcomes among NCAA athletes during their initial year post-college sports revealed that certain health indicators were poorer than anticipated, while others had actually improved.

The outcomes varied based on the athletes’ history with contact exposure and the duration of their sport participation.

“Among athletes concluding their collegiate career, those with a higher number of concussions reported poorer outcomes on specific health metrics,” stated Reid Syrydiuk, the lead author of the study and a PhD candidate in kinesiology at the University of Michigan Concussion Center.

“Surprisingly, those involved in high-contact sports exhibited enhanced mental and symptom health metrics compared to participants in non-contact sports. Furthermore, athletes with an extended duration of play in their primary sport reported superior mental health results.”

The results contradict the conventional view linking concussion to mental health issues, suggesting that the advantages stemming from the collective environments typical in contact sports could be somewhat beneficial, he remarked.

The study, published in the journal Brain Injury, is also notable for its focus on a transitional phase that has not been extensively investigated: the period when students move away from collegiate athletics. This research is supported by the NCAA and the U.S. Department of Defense.

Addressing the research void

The majority of studies concerning concussions and health fit into two categories: immediate (hours or days post-injury) or long-term (decades post-retirement). This narrow focus creates a significant void in understanding the health of athletes navigating the considerable transition of departing from competitive sports.

To address this, researchers scrutinized health questionnaires filled out within a year after graduation by 3,663 student-athletes in the NCAA-DoD Concussion Assessment, Research and Education (CARE) Consortium, to determine how concussion history, exposure to contact sports, and years of participation influenced their health at the conclusion of their collegiate activities, a transitional phase that has not been well explored.

Athletes completed eight self-reported health questionnaires encompassing factors such as cognition, mental wellness, physical wellness, and neurobehavioral health. Key insights included:

• Concussion history: Athletes with three or more concussions across diverse sports experienced heightened depressive symptoms and aggravated neurobehavioral (e.g., irritability, focus) symptoms compared to those without concussions.
• Participation advantages: Athletes indicating longer durations in their primary sport consistently showed improved mental health scores.
• Comparative sport types: Athletes engaged in contact sports demonstrated superior mental health (notably lower depression scores) and neurobehavioral symptom metrics in comparison to non-contact athletes.

“When considering why these contact sport athletes report improved scores on certain outcomes, I believe it might be attributed to the large-team dynamics they encounter,” Syrydiuk observed.

The CARE Consortium is a national concussion research initiative involving NCAA athletes and U.S. military service academy cadets from 30 different institutions. Steven Broglio, the director of the Michigan Concussion Center and a U-M kinesiology professor, is a principal investigator in the CARE study.

Encouraging early intervention

A significant practical implication is the identification of groups that might benefit from early intervention and support as they depart from collegiate athletics, Syrydiuk noted.

“This transitional phase is crucial since it hasn’t been commonly investigated previously within this domain of sports medicine research,” he stated. “It not only addresses a gap in the literature—typically examining concussions in acute and long-term contexts—but also promotes early support for those stepping away from their sport.”

Practical applications may involve heightened monitoring, such as follow-up mental health screenings for identified at-risk groups after graduation, or specific resources, like access to counseling or customized transition support programs for those with significant concussion histories.

The transition away from sports represents a critical juncture.

“For most of these collegiate athletes, their competitive journeys conclude with their graduation,” Syrydiuk remarked. “This represents a substantial shift in their lives. We aim to avoid overlooking them after they depart from sport.”

“By identifying groups at heightened risk during their exit from sports as opposed to years after retirement, we can intervene earlier and hopefully enhance their self-reported health. By pinpointing who requires support as they transition out of athletics, we stand a better chance of preventing their health from deteriorating over time.”

Additional co-authors include: Adrian Boltz from U-M; Jaroslaw Harezlak, Chengyun Li, Thomas McAllister, Kelly Mosesso, Susan Perkins, and Jie Ren from Indiana University; Allyssa Memmini from the University of New Mexico; Paul Pasquina from the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences; Landon Lempke from Virginia Commonwealth University; and Michael McCrea from the Medical College of Wisconsin.

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