Abstract

The profound changes brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic in the sports industry have rendered sports coaches and trainers susceptible to mental health issues. However, despite the increasing number of studies on sports mental health amid the pandemic, the literature on the prevalence, risk, and protective factors of mental health of coaches and trainers in the Southeast Asia region remain sparse. The present study sought to address this gap by investigating the prevalence, risk, and protective factors of psychological distress, anxiety, and depression among Filipino sports coaches and trainers. Utilizing a cross-sectional design, a total of 563 participants completed the online mental health assessment. The overall prevalence estimates of psychological distress, depression, and anxiety were 48.67%, 25.40%, and 17.76%, respectively. Further investigation revealed that sports coaches and trainers who aged over 34 years, who were employed for more than a year, and those in flexible work arrangements amid the pandemic reported better mental health than their counterparts. In addition, the findings indicated that those who were unemployed exhibited heightened distress, depression, and anxiety. In terms of pandemic-related risk factors, participants who encountered problems managing time and who lacked social interaction were highly vulnerable to adverse mental health outcomes. The findings provide substantial information regarding the psychological sequelae of the pandemic on Filipino sports coaches and trainers and underscore the necessity of providing mental health resources and psychosocial support to this community.