Mental health is a comprehensive construct that goes beyond the absence of psychological disorders, including a state of emotional, psychological and social well-being that allows individuals to effectively manage the demands of everyday life, achieve adaptive functioning and contribute positively to their environment. This expanded definition, which takes a holistic view of well-being, is based on contemporary models from the World Health Organisation and is applicable to the context of youth sport (Olivares and Rosa-Guillamón, 2025).
During adolescence and youth, stages characterised by intense physical, cognitive and social changes, sports practice takes on an important role not only in terms of physical health, but also as a factor associated with psychological and emotional development. Numerous studies have documented that physical activity and sport contribute to improving mood, reducing symptoms of stress and anxiety, increasing self-esteem and emotional self-regulation, as well as enhancing social skills and adaptive coping (Dávid et al., 2026).
In the specific field of young athletes, recent literature indicates that practising sport can promote emotional and psychological well-being; however, it also poses particular challenges when faced with high competitive demands. Some comparative research has observed differences in mental health between athletes who practise physical activity at a recreational level and those who are in high-performance contexts, suggesting that performance pressure can influence the emotional balance of young athletes (Riutort Roig, 2023).
Likewise, it has been identified that, although organised sport generally acts as a protective factor against symptoms of psychological distress, the presence of intense emotional demands, performance expectations and the management of competitive anxiety are critical components that can moderate the relationship between emotional well-being and athletic performance. These dynamics highlight the complexity inherent in the interaction between psychological and sporting variables in the young population (Sitko et al., 2024).
Based on this conceptual framework, this literature review aims to synthesise and analyse recent empirical evidence (2020-2026) on the relationship between mental health, emotional well-being and athletic performance in young athletes, with the aim of identifying consistent patterns and gaps in knowledge that can guide future research and practice in sports psychology.
Methodology
This research is based on a literature review using a systematic compilation of data to analyse the relationship between mental health and sports practice in young people (Vilanova, 2012).
In order to focus the topic, keywords have been established to help define it: ‘mental health’, ‘young athletes’, ‘emotional well-being’, ‘athletic performance’, ‘sports psychology’, “adolescence”, ‘competitive anxiety’ and ‘prevention’.
The following scientific search engines were used to collect information: Scopus, Google Scholar, and Dialnet.
The inclusion criteria are explained below:
- Relevance to the research topic: studies related to mental health in the context of sports will be considered.
- Date: articles published between 2018 and 2026 will be selected.
- Language: topics in Spanish, Portuguese and/or English will be analysed.
- Discipline: studies within the fields of psychology, sports science, education science and health science will be considered.
- Population: studies aimed at young athletes and adolescents will be taken into account.
The exclusion criteria are explained below:
- Relation to the research topic: studies outside the defined scope of mental health and sport will not be considered.
- Date: studies published before 2018 will be rejected.
- Language: studies not written in Spanish, Portuguese and/or English will not be analysed.
- Discipline: studies belonging to disciplines other than psychology, health or sport will not be considered.
- Population: studies focusing exclusively on veteran professional athletes or the general non-athletic population will be discarded.
After determining the criteria, we proceeded to read and analyse the studies in depth to determine those most relevant to the research and to identify the most relevant topics to address. To this end, an exhaustive selection and interpretation of the content was carried out following the process below:
- The relevance of the study in relation to our research objective was taken into account.
- A search was carried out according to the inclusion/exclusion criteria.
- The studies provided a direct contribution to the content of the topic to be addressed.
- Studies that followed an appropriate research process and produced results in line with the objective were selected.
Continuing with the literature review process and considering the content relevant to the research topic, three groups of analysis were planned:
Firstly, the relationship between sports practice and emotional well-being in young people will be analysed.
Secondly, we want to understand the relationship between emotional well-being and sports performance, analysing how mental state influences competition.
Thirdly, the link between sporting demands (pressure) and mental health (stress, anxiety or burnout) will be investigated.
Ultimately, the aim is to address the overall relationship between sporting activity, emotional well-being and mental health, identifying whether there is sufficient scientific evidence to directly link these three variables in the young population.
Results
After applying the inclusion and exclusion criteria and searching the Scopus, Google Scholar, and Dialnet databases, several studies published between 2018 and 2026 were selected that analyse the relationship between mental health, emotional well-being, and athletic performance in young athletes. Below is a summary of the main studies analysed in the review.
Table 1. Selected studies on mental health, emotional well-being and performance in young athletes
| Author / Year | Sample | Sport | Variables Analyzed | Main Findings |
| Sitko et al., 2024 | 10,248 adolescents | General sports participation | Depression, physical activity | Adolescents who participate in sports show lower levels of depressive symptoms. |
| David et al., 2026 | 52 adolescents | Football and judo | Life satisfaction, depression | Athletes exhibit higher subjective well-being and better academic performance. |
| Regborn et al., 2022 | 93 young athletes | Elite sports | Emotional regulation | Difficulties in emotional regulation are associated with poorer mental health. |
| Fiedler et al., 2024 | 53 athletes | Individual and team sports | Mood, well-being | Athletes at higher competitive levels show greater emotional stability. |
| Gwyther et al., 2024 | Review of 33 studies | Young athletes | Anxiety, depression, eating disorders | There is a significant prevalence of mental health problems among young athletes. |
Following the synthesis of the selected studies, the literature analysis identified three main lines of results: the relationship between sports practice and emotional well-being, the influence of psychological well-being on sports performance, and the impact of competitive pressure on mental health.
After applying the inclusion and exclusion criteria established in the methodology and searching the Scopus, Google Scholar, and Dialnet databases, several studies were identified that analyse the relationship between mental health, emotional well-being, and athletic performance in young people. After critically reading and selecting the most relevant studies, they were analysed to identify the main trends in recent scientific literature.
The analysis of the selected studies identified three main lines of results: the relationship between sports practice and emotional well-being in young people, the influence of psychological well-being on athletic performance, and the impact of competitive pressure on the mental health of young athletes.
In relation to the first line of analysis, numerous studies agree that regular sports practice is associated with higher levels of emotional well-being in adolescents and young people. The results show that participation in sports activities promotes the development of positive psychological variables such as self-esteem, perceived competence, life satisfaction, and social support. Likewise, various studies indicate that young people who participate in sports have lower levels of depressive symptoms and higher levels of subjective well-being compared to those who do not participate in organised sports activities. These findings suggest that sport can play a protective role in emotional development during adolescence.
Secondly, the studies reviewed indicate that emotional well-being influences sporting performance. Various studies point out that psychological variables such as self-confidence, emotional stability, motivation and emotional regulation capacity influence the way young athletes cope with competitive situations. In this regard, athletes with higher levels of psychological well-being tend to show greater concentration, better control of competitive pressure, and greater consistency in their performance. However, some studies warn that the relationship between emotional well-being and athletic performance is not always direct, as other factors such as training load, support from the sporting environment, and the characteristics of the competitive context also play a role.
Thirdly, the literature reviewed also shows that highly competitive sporting contexts can have negative effects on the mental health of young athletes. Some studies identify high levels of stress, competitive anxiety, or emotional fatigue associated with performance pressure, external expectations, or the demands of intensive training. Likewise, cases of sports burnout have been described in adolescents participating in high-performance programmes, characterised by emotional exhaustion, loss of motivation, and decreased enjoyment of sports activities. However, several authors highlight that the presence of an adequate sports environment, characterised by coach support, psychological accompaniment, and a positive motivational climate, can act as a protective factor against these risks.
Finally, the joint analysis of the selected studies indicates that the relationship between sports practice, emotional well-being, and mental health in young people is complex and multifactorial. Although sports participation is generally associated with psychological benefits, the results also show that high levels of competitive demands can have adverse effects when there are no adequate emotional and psychological support strategies in place. Therefore, the scientific literature reviewed emphasises the importance of promoting sporting environments that integrate physical development with care for the psychological well-being of young athletes, thus promoting both mental health and sporting performance.
Conclusions
A review of the scientific literature indicates that, in general terms, participation in sports among young people is associated with significant benefits for mental health and emotional well-being. Regular participation in physical and sporting activities contributes to the development of positive psychological variables such as self-esteem, motivation, perception of competence, emotional self-regulation and life satisfaction. These findings suggest that sport can act as a protective factor against symptoms of depression and anxiety, promoting more balanced psychological development during adolescence.
However, the results also show that the relationship between emotional well-being and athletic performance is neither linear nor uniform. In highly competitive contexts, young athletes may experience high levels of stress, anxiety, and burnout, which have the potential to negatively affect both their emotional well-being and their performance. This highlights the need to consider the contextual and social dimensions of sport, including pressure from coaches, family expectations, and the demands of the competitive environment.
Furthermore, much of the literature uses proxies for athletic performance (competitive level, academic achievements, perceived efficacy) rather than direct performance measurements, which limits the ability to establish solid causal relationships between emotional well-being and performance. The available evidence indicates association and correlation, but does not allow us to conclude that greater emotional well-being directly guarantees better athletic performance.
In practical terms, the findings reinforce the importance of comprehensive sporting environments that combine physical training with emotional and psychological care strategies. The implementation of psychological support programmes, emotional regulation training and competitive stress management could maximise the benefits of sporting practice and minimise risks to mental health.
Finally, this review highlights gaps in research, especially in terms of longitudinal studies with objective measurement of athletic performance, as well as research that integrates psychological, physical, and social variables together. Therefore, further studies are recommended to explore the dynamic interaction between mental health, emotional well-being, and performance in young athletes, considering varied athletic contexts and different levels of demand.
In summary, although evidence supports that sports practice promotes emotional well-being and can positively influence performance, the effects depend on pressure management, the quality of the competitive environment, and the psychological support available, suggesting the need for a holistic approach to youth sports psychology.
References
Olivares, J. C., & Rosa-Guillamón, A. (2025). Salud mental en el deporte: Relación entre bienestar emocional y rendimiento en jóvenes deportistas. Revista de Psicología Aplicada al Deporte y al Ejercicio, 10(1), Artículo 16. https://doi.org/10.5093/rpadef2025a16
Dávid, F., Rácz, K., & Salamon, P. (2026). Cross-Sectional Associations of Sport Participation, Academic Performance, and Psychological Well-Being Among Rural Romanian Adolescent Boys in the Context of Family Background. Children (Basel, Switzerland), 13(1), 135. https://doi.org/10.3390/children13010135
Sitko, S., Francín‑Gallego, M., Pano‑Rodríguez, Á., Oviedo‑Caro, M. Á., Mayolas‑Pi, C., & Legaz‑Arrese, A. (2024). Sport practice and depression during adolescence: Special emphasis on performance level and sport discipline. Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, 27(11), 759‑764.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsams.2024.07.009
Riutort Roig, C. (2023). Salud mental en deportistas adolescentes: Una revisión comparativa entre deporte recreativo y de élite. Repositorio institucional. http://hdl.handle.net/11201/165979