Sleep

The characteristics of depression and sleep status among elite Chinese badminton athletes.

Li Q, Ma H, et al. • Acta psychologica • 2026

PubMed 41780299 DOI 10.1016/j.actpsy.2026.106564
TL;DR

Elite Chinese badminton athletes showed a high prevalence of depressive symptoms (56.4%) and poor sleep quality (32.5%), with sleep quality significantly associated with depressive symptoms (OR=0.17, 95% CI: 0.06-0.48, p<0.001).

Key Findings

Results

The overall prevalence of depressive symptoms among elite Chinese badminton athletes was 56.4%.

  • 117 elite badminton athletes participated in a cross-sectional survey
  • 66 out of 117 athletes met criteria for depressive symptoms
  • Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS)
  • No severe depression cases were found in the sample
Results

Mild depression was the most common severity level of depression among the athletes.

  • Mild depression accounted for 41.0% of the total sample (N=48)
  • Moderate depression accounted for 15.4% (N=18)
  • Severe depression cases were notably absent (0%)
  • Severity classifications were based on SDS scoring thresholds
Results

Nearly one-third of elite badminton athletes reported poor sleep quality.

  • 32.5% of athletes (N=38) reported poor sleep quality
  • Sleep quality was measured using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI)
  • Data were collected via paper-based questionnaires
Results

Sleep quality was significantly associated with depressive symptoms in logistic regression analysis.

  • OR=0.17, 95% CI: 0.06-0.48, p<0.001
  • The direction of the odds ratio (OR<1) indicates that poorer sleep quality was associated with greater likelihood of depressive symptoms
  • Logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with depression
  • Basic information variables including gender, age, height, weight, years of training, daily training duration, weekly training frequency, and weekly training hours were also collected as potential covariates
Methods

The study used a cross-sectional survey design with paper-based questionnaires administered to elite Chinese badminton athletes.

  • Sample size was 117 elite badminton athletes
  • Three instruments were used: a basic information form, the Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS), and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI)
  • Basic information collected included gender, age, height, weight, years of training, daily training duration, weekly training frequency, and weekly training hours

What This Means

This research suggests that depression and poor sleep are surprisingly common among elite Chinese badminton athletes. More than half of the 117 athletes surveyed (56.4%) showed signs of depressive symptoms, with most experiencing mild depression. About one in three athletes also reported poor sleep quality. These rates are notably high for a population of competitive, high-performing athletes. The study found a strong statistical link between sleep quality and depression: athletes with poorer sleep were significantly more likely to experience depressive symptoms. This connection was identified through logistic regression analysis, a statistical method that accounts for multiple factors simultaneously. Importantly, no athletes were found to have severe depression, suggesting that while mental health challenges are widespread, they may be caught at manageable stages. This research suggests that mental health and sleep are interconnected concerns that deserve attention in elite sports settings. Coaches, sports organizations, and athletes themselves may benefit from implementing strategies that address both sleep management and psychological well-being as part of athletic training programs. Because this was a cross-sectional study (a snapshot in time), it cannot determine whether poor sleep causes depression or vice versa, but the association between the two highlights both as important areas for monitoring and support in competitive athletics.

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Citation

Li Q, Ma H, Mu Z, Yan H, Imai K, Hu Y, et al.. (2026). The characteristics of depression and sleep status among elite Chinese badminton athletes.. Acta psychologica. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actpsy.2026.106564