Development of a psychological risk indicator and its association with sports injuries in soccer players

Evidence suggests that psychological factors such as stress, anxiety, perfectionism, and coping resources may modulate sport-injury risk, supporting an integrative approach to athlete monitoring beyond physiological indicators. This study aimed to develop a composite psychological injury-risk index grounded in the Psycholight framework and to examine its association with injury incidence in male and female soccer players. A total of 281 players completed validated self-report measures assessing sport-related psychological characteristics, trait anxiety, emotional symptoms, and sleep quality. Injuries and time-loss were recorded throughout the competitive season. Overall, higher psychological risk was associated with greater injury burden. In men, high risk in stress control was associated with a higher injury incidence compared with low- and moderate-risk groups. In women, higher depressive symptoms and higher global psychological risk were associated with higher injury incidence; additionally, moderate risk in evaluation influence was linked to increased injury incidence. Collectively, these findings support the potential utility of a composite psychological risk index to identify players with heightened vulnerability and underscore the value of incorporating systematic psychological screening into injury-prevention programmes in high-performance soccer.