Date of Award
Spring 2020
Degree Name
Bachelor of Arts
Department
Psychology; College of Arts & Sciences
First Advisor
Adam Levy
Abstract
Nearly 8.6 million injuries occur each year overall, with approximately 65% consisting of adolescent athletes (Sheu 2016). This literature review serves to explain the pathway in which stress can increase injury vulnerability in adolescent athletes and why adolescents are more vulnerable. Based on previous biology, neuroscience, and psychology research, a comprehensive background on the stress-injury vulnerability relationship has been developed. Injury vulnerability is the likelihood of sustaining an injury and can be increased due to the neurobehavioral outcomes of stress induced restructuring of the brain. The major brain regions affected by stress-induced neuroanatomical restructuring include the amygdala, hippocampus, and prefrontal cortex. In conjunction with these regions being sensitive to stress, adolescents are at a more vulnerable time of brain development during which the effects of stress can take a greater toll and further increase the likelihood of physical injury during athletic activity. Coping strategies and mitigation techniques are discussed to provide future directions for this topic.
Recommended Citation
Ryan, Shannon, "Why Adolescent Athletes are More Susceptible to the Effects of Stress on Injury Vulnerability: Linking Stress-Induced Neurological Restructuring to Behavioural Outcomes and Possibility for Injury" (2020). Capstone Showcase. 41.
https://scholarworks.arcadia.edu/showcase/2020/psychology/41
Why Adolescent Athletes are More Susceptible to the Effects of Stress on Injury Vulnerability: Linking Stress-Induced Neurological Restructuring to Behavioural Outcomes and Possibility for Injury
Nearly 8.6 million injuries occur each year overall, with approximately 65% consisting of adolescent athletes (Sheu 2016). This literature review serves to explain the pathway in which stress can increase injury vulnerability in adolescent athletes and why adolescents are more vulnerable. Based on previous biology, neuroscience, and psychology research, a comprehensive background on the stress-injury vulnerability relationship has been developed. Injury vulnerability is the likelihood of sustaining an injury and can be increased due to the neurobehavioral outcomes of stress induced restructuring of the brain. The major brain regions affected by stress-induced neuroanatomical restructuring include the amygdala, hippocampus, and prefrontal cortex. In conjunction with these regions being sensitive to stress, adolescents are at a more vulnerable time of brain development during which the effects of stress can take a greater toll and further increase the likelihood of physical injury during athletic activity. Coping strategies and mitigation techniques are discussed to provide future directions for this topic.