Riding the storm: an exploratory study of surfing and psychological well-being during the Covid-19 pandemic

During the Covid-19 pandemic, outdoor and adventure-based practices may have provided opportunities for maintaining mental health and psychological well-being. This exploratory study investigated psychological differences among surfers assessed before and during the pandemic period (study 1) and comparing surfers to other physically active and sedentary individuals (study 2). Data were collected from 148 individuals using the Dysexecutive Questionnaire (DEX), the Resilience Scale and the Visual Numeric Scale to assess subjective psychological well-being. The results indicated that surfers assessed during the pandemic reported higher DEX scores compared to those assessed prior to the pandemic (p < 0.001; d = 0.48). Moreover, surfers reported higher subjective psychological well-being during the pandemic period than other physically active (p = 0.03; d = 0.41) and sedentary individuals (p < 0.01; d = 0.57). A significant difference between physically active and sedentary individuals (p = 0.04; d = 0.39) was also verified. The findings suggest potential benefits of sea-based practices of mental health and wellbeing during difficult moments.