ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø

Home⇛International Journal of Multidisciplinary Educational Research and Innovation⇛vol. 3 no. 3 (2025)

Beyond The Game: Exploring Team Cohesion and Mental Health in Student Table Tennis Player

Sishir Sarkar Jr | Pulen Das

Discipline: Education

 

Abstract:

This study aimed to examine the relationship between team cohesion and mental health outcomes specifically stress, anxiety, and depression among inter-university table tennis players, and to explore gender-specific patterns within these associations. A total of 65 inter-university table tennis players (male and female) participated in the study. Team cohesion was measured using the “Group Environment Questionnaire (GEQ)”, which evaluates four dimensions: “Individual Attraction to the Group – Task” (AT-G), “Individual Attraction to the Group – Social” (AT-S), “Group Integration – Task” (GI-T), and “Group Integration – Social” (GI-S). Mental health variables- depression, anxiety, and stress were assessed using the “Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21)”. Correlation analyses were conducted to determine the associations between team cohesion factors and mental health outcomes. A significant negative correlation was found between team cohesion and depression in both male and female athletes. In male players, all four dimensions of team cohesion (AT-G, AT-S, GI-T, and GI-S) were significantly and negatively associated with depression. In female athletes, three dimensions i.e. AT-G, AT-S, and GI-T showed significant negative correlations with depression, while GI-S was also negatively correlated but not significant. Task cohesion (particularly GI-T) was more strongly emphasized by athletes than social cohesion (GI-S), indicating a performance-oriented team focus. There were no significant relationships found between team cohesion and stress or anxiety for either gender. The findings underscore the protective role of team cohesion especially task-focused cohesion-against depression in student-athletes. Enhancing team climate through structured, task-oriented team-building activities may not only improve athletic performance but also support the mental well-being of inter-university table tennis players. Coaches and sports psychologists are encouraged to integrate strategies that foster both team cohesion and psychological resilience in their training environments.



References:

  1. Bruner, M. W., Eys, M. A., Wilson, K. S., & Côté, J. (2014). Group cohesion and positive youth development in team sport athletes. Sport, Exercise, and Performance Psychology, 3(4), 219–227. 
  2. Carron, A. V., Bray, S., & Eys, M. (2002). Team cohesion and team success in sport. Journal of Sports Sciences, 20(2), 119–126. 
  3. Carron, A. V., Colman, M. M., Wheeler, J., & Stevens, D. (2002). Cohesion and performance in sport: A meta-analysis. Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 24(2), 168–188. 
  4. Carron, A. V., Widmeyer, W. N., & Brawley, L. R. (1985). The development of an instrument to assess cohesion in sport teams: The Group Environment Questionnaire. Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 7(3), 244–266. 
  5. Chalabaev, A., Sarrazin, P., Fontayne, P., Boiché, J., & Clément-Guillotin, C. (2013). The influence of sex stereotypes and gender roles on participation and performance in sport and exercise: Review and future directions. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 14(2), 136–144. 
  6. DeFreese, J. D., & Smith, A. L. (2013). Teammate social support, burnout, and self-determined motivation in collegiate athletes. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 14(2), 258–265. 
  7. Eys, M., Ohlert, J., Evans, M., Wolf, S., Martin, L., Bussel, M., & Steins, C. (2015). Cohesion and performance for female and male sport teams. The Sport Psychologist, 29(2), 97–109. 
  8. Fletcher, D., & Sarkar, M. (2012). A grounded theory of psychological resilience in Olympic champions. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 13(5), 669–678. 
  9. Fransen, K., Vanbeselaere, N., De Cuyper, B., Vande Broek, G., & Boen, F. (2014). The myth of the team captain as principal leader: Extending the athlete leadership classification within sport teams. Journal of Sports Sciences, 32(14), 1389–1397. 
  10. Gulliver, A., Griffiths, K. M., & Christensen, H. (2012). Barriers and facilitators to mental health help-seeking for young elite athletes: A qualitative study. BMC Psychiatry, 12(1), Article 157. 
  11. Hardy, L. (1992). Psychological stress, performance, and injury in sport. British Medical Bulletin, 48(3), 615–629. 
  12. Henderson, J., Bourgeois, A. E., Leunes, A., & Meyers, M. C. (1998). Group cohesiveness, mood disturbance, and stress in female basketball players. Small Group Research, 29(2), 212–225. 
  13. Henry, J. D., & Crawford, J. R. (2005). The short-form version of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS-21): Construct validity and normative data in a large non-clinical sample. British Journal of Clinical Psychology, 44(2), 227–239. 
  14. Kondric, M., Sekulic, D., Petroczi, A., Ostojic, L., Rodek, J., & Ostojic, Z. (2011). Is there a danger for myopia in anti-doping education? Comparative analysis of substance use and misuse in Olympic racket sports. Substance Abuse Treatment, Prevention, and Policy, 6(1), Article 27. 
  15. Kuettel, A., & Larsen, C. H. (2019). Risk and protective factors for mental health in elite athletes: A scoping review. International Review of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 13(1), 231–265. 
  16. Lees, A. (2003). Science and the major racket sports: A review. Journal of Sports Sciences, 21(9), 707–732. 
  17. Morgan, P. B. C., Fletcher, D., & Sarkar, M. (2013). Defining and characterizing team resilience in elite sport. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 14(4), 549–559. 
  18. Nicholls, A. R., Polman, R., Levy, A. R., Taylor, J., & Cobley, S. (2007). Stressors, coping, and coping effectiveness: Gender, type of sport, and skill differences. Journal of Sports Sciences, 25(13), 1521–1530. 
  19. Oei, T. P., Sawang, S., Goh, Y. W., & Mukhtar, F. (2013). Using the depression anxiety stress scale 21 (DASS-21) across cultures. International Journal of Psychology, 48(6), 1018–1029. 
  20. Piñeiro-Cossio, J., Fernández-Martínez, A., Nuviala, A., & Pérez-Ordás, R. (2021). Psychological wellbeing in physical education and school sports: A systematic review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(3), 864. 
  21. Purcell, R., Pilkington, V., Carberry, S., Reid, D., Gwyther, K., Hall, K., Deacon, A., Manon, R., Walton, C. C., & Rice, S. (2022). An evidence-informed framework to promote mental wellbeing in elite sport. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 780359. 
  22. Reardon, C. L., Hainline, B., Aron, C. M., Baron, D., Baum, A. L., Bindra, A., Budgett, R., Campriani, N., Castaldelli-Maia, J. M., Currie, A., Derevensky, J. L., Glick, I. D., Gorczynski, P., Gouttebarge, V., Grandner, M. A., Han, D. H., McDuff, D., Mountjoy, M., Polat, A., ... Engebretsen, L. (2019). Mental health in elite athletes: International Olympic Committee consensus statement. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 53(11), 667–699. 
  23. Rice, S. M., Purcell, R., De Silva, S., Mawren, D., McGorry, P. D., & Parker, A. G. (2016). The mental health of elite athletes: A narrative systematic review. Sports Medicine, 46(9), 1333–1353. 
  24. Sabin, S. I., & Alexandru, S. D. (2015). Study regarding the importance of developing group cohesion in a volleyball team. Procedia: Social and Behavioral Sciences, 180, 1343–1350. 
  25. Smith, A. L., Ullrich-French, S., Walker, E., & Hurley, K. S. (2006). Peer relationship profiles and motivation in youth sport. Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 28(3), 362–382. 
  26. Terry, P., Carron, A., Pink, M., Lane, A., Jones, G., & Hall, M. (2000). Perceptions of group cohesion and mood in sport teams. Group Dynamics: Theory, Research, and Practice, 4(3), 244–253. 
  27. Whitton, S. M., & Fletcher, R. B. (2014). The Group Environment Questionnaire: A multilevel confirmatory factor analysis. Small Group Research, 45(1), 68–88. 

Tools


Copyright © 2026   ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø