Reflections on the Field of Mental Health in Sport: Critical Issues and Ways of Moving Forward

Vella, Stewart A.; Swann, Christian; Tamminen, Katherine A.

doi:10.1080/10413200.2020.1854898

Cited by 20 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 22 publications

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“…13 If coaches are to use sport in a meaningful way, innovation must be constant and topics explored in CCEC must evolve with society to account for how youth learn and interact with their peers. 14 One consideration to nurture constant innovation is to further tap into the expertise of sport scientists in universities and polytechnic institutes who play important roles in generating and disseminating knowledge. 15 Based on the data, sport federations and universities appear to be main entities responsibles for the overemphasis on sport-specific topics and deliver little content on ethics, which should warrant reflection.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Analyzing continuous coach education courses in Portugal: Implications for youth development

Santos

Rathwell

Sabino

et al. 2023

International Journal of Sports Science & Coaching

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Continuous coach education courses (CCEC) are considered a crucial vehicle for exposing coaches to topics (e.g., nutrition, mental health, positive youth development) not addressed in their initial coach training. CCEC can help coaches develop well-rounded coaching practices based on youth's physical, social, emotional, and psychological needs. The purpose of the study was to analyze the distribution of CCEC offered in Portugal between 2014 and 2020. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze (a) the number of CCEC offered; (b) hours devoted to each topic; (c) the types of organizations who delivered CCEC; (e) the format of CCEC (i.e., online or in-person); (f) the geographical distribution of CCEC throughout Portugal; (g) the number of coach participants per topic. The results indicate that courses addressing mental health, social justice, positive youth development, and sleep hygiene are seldomly delivered in Portugal, meaning that coaches have few opportunities to be exposed to and learn about these important topics. Thus, our results suggest CCEC in Portugal may not be extending coaches’ knowledge much beyond topics covered in their initial coach training. The lack of breadth in training may help perpetuate the emphasis on the technical, tactical, and physical development of youth with the Portuguese youth sport system. Based on the results, implications for youth development are offered.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Analyzing continuous coach education courses in Portugal: Implications for youth development

Santos

Rathwell

Sabino

et al. 2023

International Journal of Sports Science & Coaching

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…In addition, regarding childhood trauma, many athletes may simply be unaware of the presence of PTSD symptoms, since they are not new but rather ingrained in their behavioral patterns since childhood. This highlights the importance of an effective mental health screening program in elite athletics (25).…”

Section: Recommendationsmentioning

confidence: 98%

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in Elite Athletes

Lynch

2021

Curr Sports Med Rep

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Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which may develop following exposure to severe trauma, can occur in all people at any age. PTSD affects approximately 10 million Americans, with an incidence of approximately 3.5% diagnosed every year. Elite athletes are not immune to posttraumatic stress. While difficult to precisely quantify, an estimated 1 in 8 elite athletes suffers from PTSD. Because of its complex presentation, PTSD can be challenging to diagnose and effectively treat in athletes. Several barriers unique to elite athletes exist which may inadvertently delay or prevent access to the appropriate clinical experts. Several best practice models for mental health screening in elite athletes have been developed in the past decade. Treatment of PTSD in the athlete population is similar to trauma-informed treatment in the general population, but should involve the athlete’s multidisciplinary team of clinical experts to account for unique demands and preferences in the context of sport.

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“…Interpreting and comparing results from research on the mental health of elite athletes is also challenged by differences in the measurements chosen, risk of participation bias, and low response rates ( 4 , 8 , 9 ). Therefore, investigating mental health problems among elite athletes with qualitative studies is vital to build a greater knowledge base about mental health in sports, from which, interventions can be practically applied, adapted, or evaluated, and the impact of this research on practice can be increased ( 15 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mental health problems, health risk behaviors, and prevention: A qualitative interview study on perceptions and attitudes among elite male soccer players

Kvillemo

Nilsson

Strandberg

et al. 2023

Front. Public Health

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BackgroundThe purpose of this study was to investigate the perception of mental health problems and health risk behaviors among Swedish male elite soccer players and their attitudes toward possible prevention strategies.MethodTwenty elite soccer players, aged 15–30 years, were recruited through purposive sampling and interviewed via a digital video calling platform. A semi-structured interview guide, encompassing questions about mental health problems, health risk behaviors among soccer teams, peer-relations, relations to coaches, and attitudes toward health risk behaviors, along with proposals for effective interventions, was employed. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed with qualitative content analysis.ResultsThe informants reported positive feelings in relation to playing soccer, good health, and few health risk behaviors. Risk factors included a large income, excessive free time, and the need for excitement. Stress and mental health problems were linked to performance pressure, social media, and injuries. Hesitation to talk openly about personal problems due to concerns about negative consequences and the “macho culture” was highlighted as barriers to admit and seek help for personal problems. Some statements indicated openness and the club's efforts to destigmatize personal problems. Positive attitudes toward prevention and suggestions for various measures were prominent.ConclusionFuture research and implementation of interventions should focus on the prevention of health risk behaviors and alleviation of stress and performance pressure, as well as continue the efforts to destigmatize mental health problems and raise awareness among coaches of the importance of their communication and behavior for players' mental health and performance. This could be achieved by developing strategic and systematic policy work, information, and dialogue among players and coaches, in addition to individual digital or face-to-face support, provided by professionals outside the soccer context.

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Reflections on the Field of Mental Health in Sport: Critical Issues and Ways of Moving Forward

Cited by 20 publications

References 22 publications

Analyzing continuous coach education courses in Portugal: Implications for youth development

Analyzing continuous coach education courses in Portugal: Implications for youth development

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in Elite Athletes

Mental health problems, health risk behaviors, and prevention: A qualitative interview study on perceptions and attitudes among elite male soccer players

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