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Carter TB, Gorczynski P, Coady CJ, Cunningham IJ, Mascarenhas DRD, Grant M, Sullivan P, Webb T, Livingston LA, Hancock DJ. Implementing a scoping review to explore sport officials' mental health. Front Sports Act Living 2024; 6:1436149. [PMID: 39135607 PMCID: PMC11317263 DOI: 10.3389/fspor.2024.1436149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2024] [Accepted: 07/17/2024] [Indexed: 08/15/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Sport officials are tasked with applying rules, maintaining fairness, and ensuring athlete safety. However, sport officials experience anxiety, burnout, and non-accidental violence, with the incidence of these events increasing worldwide. This has led to rising attrition rates among sport officials, with many sport organizations concerned for their operational capacity. The effects of anxiety, burnout, and non-accidental violence might contribute to or be indicative of sport officials' negative mental health outcomes. To develop a clear understanding of how sport officials' mental health is affected by their occupation, it is necessary to identify the mental health outcomes and predictors they experience, and to what extent. The purpose of this scoping review was to identify and examine the empirical research and policy documents surrounding sport officials' mental health. Method One thousand, two hundred six articles were identified across four databases: PubMed, Web of Science, SportDiscus, and PsycINFO. Next, a policy search was conducted on the respective international governing body websites from English-speaking countries for the 60 included sports. Following screening, 18 studies and one policy document met the inclusion criteria for exploring sport officials' mental health. Results Participants (N = 7,941) in the studies were mainly European male soccer and basketball referees. Most studies utilized quantitative inquiry (n = 15) rather than qualitative methods (n = 2) or framework development (n = 1). The research demonstrated that sport officials frequently experienced negative mental health outcomes and predictors including anxiety, depression, burnout, lower mental health literacy, and high levels of stigmatization towards mental health. Discussion These outcomes were influenced by gender/sex, age, and experience. There is a need to explore personal and environmental (including occupational) factors that cause or contribute to sport officials' mental health symptoms and disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tori B. Carter
- School of Human Kinetics and Recreation, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL, Canada
| | - Paul Gorczynski
- School of Human Sciences, University of Greenwich, London, United Kingdom
| | - Christopher J. Coady
- School of Human Kinetics and Recreation, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL, Canada
| | - Ian J. Cunningham
- School of Applied Sciences, Edinburgh Napier University, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | | | - Murray Grant
- School of Psychology, University of East Anglia, Norwich, United Kingdom
| | - Philip Sullivan
- Faculty of Applied Health Sciences, Brock University, St. Catharines, ON, Canada
| | - Tom Webb
- Faculty of Business and Law, Coventry University, Coventry, United Kingdom
| | | | - David J. Hancock
- School of Human Kinetics and Recreation, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL, Canada
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Abstract
There is growing understanding of the extent of mental health problems, and related mental health needs, among elite athletes. However, far less attention has been paid to mental health among elite coaches and high-performance support staff, the latter including strength and conditioning coaches, physiotherapists, sport psychologists, and other allied health workers in the daily training environment (high-performance support staff are referred to collectively as "entourage" throughout this article). The scarcity of research examining mental health among elite coaches and entourage warrants urgent attention, particularly given these individuals share similar performance demands and role-related stressors as elite athletes. This article reviews the available literature on this topic, including (1) an empirical study conducted by the authors with a sample of coaches and entourage from Australia's national high-performance sport system and (2) a case example to illustrate sport-specific and general risk factors that are likely to impact mental health in elite sporting environments. Avenues for supporting mental health among coaches and entourage are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosemary Purcell
- The Centre for Youth Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia; Elite Sports and Mental Health, Orygen, 35 Poplar Road, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia.
| | - Joshua Frost
- The Centre for Youth Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia; Elite Sports and Mental Health, Orygen, 35 Poplar Road, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia
| | - Vita Pilkington
- The Centre for Youth Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia; Elite Sports and Mental Health, Orygen, 35 Poplar Road, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia
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Frost J, Walton CC, Purcell R, Rice SM. Supporting The Mental Health Of Elite-Level Coaches Through Early Intervention. Arthrosc Sports Med Rehabil 2023; 5:100734. [PMID: 37645386 PMCID: PMC10461153 DOI: 10.1016/j.asmr.2023.04.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2023] [Accepted: 04/03/2023] [Indexed: 08/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Current evidence indicates that elite-level coaches encounter a range of performance, organizational, and personal stressors that may influence or compromise mental health. With exposure to these stressors, supports need to be established to protect and preserve the mental health of elite-level coaches. Given the paucity of evidence available, this article proposes a number of considerations that should be taken into account when developing a mental health and rehabilitation framework for high-performance coaches. We argue that early intervention should be positioned at the core of this framework, to address the onset of symptoms prior to the emergence of a mental disorder or mental health crisis. Mental health screening and monitoring of coaches, the psychological safety of high-performance environments, the mental health literacy of coaches, and the tailored pathways to support are discussed. Beyond these strategies, it is proposed that rehabilitation and reintegration should be addressed to assist coaches who are currently experiencing mental ill health or have left their role due to mental health reasons. Although further research is needed to implement evidence-based strategies, it is recommended that a future mental health framework should incorporate the perspectives of coaches to ensure it is consistent with their needs and experiences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua Frost
- Centre for Youth Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
- Elite Sports and Mental Health, Orygen, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Courtney C. Walton
- Centre for Youth Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
- Elite Sports and Mental Health, Orygen, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Rosemary Purcell
- Centre for Youth Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
- Elite Sports and Mental Health, Orygen, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Simon M. Rice
- Centre for Youth Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
- Elite Sports and Mental Health, Orygen, Melbourne, Australia
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Macpherson MC, Harrison R, Marie D, Miles LK. Investigating coaches’ recognition of symptoms of eating disorders in track athletes. BMJ Open Sport Exerc Med 2022; 8:e001333. [PMID: 36071860 PMCID: PMC9394206 DOI: 10.1136/bmjsem-2022-001333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective To determine the extent to which athletics coaches can identify evidence of an eating disorder in track athletes and what treatment advice they would provide. Methods Vignettes depicting athletes portraying symptoms consistent with anorexia nervosa (AN) and bulimia nervosa (BN) were developed and used to survey 185 UK and Irish athletics coaches (and a community sample of 105 non-coaches) regarding their ability to recognise and respond to symptoms of an eating disorder. Results Coaches were no more likely than the community sample to correctly identify an eating disorder but were more likely to suggest professional treatment for an athlete experiencing symptoms of AN (OR 1.82, 95% CI 1.02 to 3.29). For both eating disorders, higher levels of mental health literacy (AN: OR 1.06, 95% CI 1.02 to 1.11, BN: OR 1.08, 95% CI 1.04 to 1.14) and more years of coaching experience (AN: OR 1.12, 95% CI 1.03 to 1.24, BN: OR 1.07, 95% CI 1.01 to 1.16) also increased the likelihood of suggesting professional help. When considering the whole sample, participants were more likely to correctly identify an eating disorder (OR 4.67, 95% CI 2.66 to 8.20) and suggest professional treatment for AN than BN (OR 1.76, CI 1.04 to 2.97). Further, symptoms of AN were more likely to be correctly identified in female than male athletes (OR 2.26, 95% CI 1.28 to 4.06). Conclusions Although coaches were more likely than community members to recommend professional treatment to an athlete exhibiting symptoms of an eating disorder, they were no more likely to correctly identify an eating disorder in the first instance. Further work is required to enhance coaches’ capacity to identify symptoms of eating disorders to ensure athletes receive appropriate interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Dannette Marie
- School of Psychological Science, University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Lynden K Miles
- School of Psychological Science, University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
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Moore MA, Reynolds JF, Durand J, Trainor K, Caravaglia G. Mental Health Literacy of Australian Youth Sport Coaches. Front Sports Act Living 2022; 4:871212. [PMID: 35498514 PMCID: PMC9039291 DOI: 10.3389/fspor.2022.871212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2022] [Accepted: 03/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Matt A. Moore
- Department of Social Work, Ball State University, Muncie, IN, United States
- *Correspondence: Matt A. Moore
| | - Jerry F. Reynolds
- Department of Social Work, Ball State University, Muncie, IN, United States
| | - Jessica Durand
- Alliance of Social Workers in Sports, Westfield, IN, United States
| | - Kristin Trainor
- Department of Social Work, Ball State University, Muncie, IN, United States
| | - Gina Caravaglia
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Ball State University, Muncie, IN, United States
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Abstract
This study investigated the relationship between reappraisal and suppression with depression and mental well-being among university athletes. It was hypothesized reappraisal would associate with lower depression and greater mental well-being, whereas suppression would associate with greater depression and reduced mental well-being. Employing a cross-sectional design, 427 participants (Mage = 20.18, SD = 1.52; 188 males and 239 females) completed questionnaires assessing mental health and strategy use. Hierarchical multiple regressions revealed reappraisal was positively associated, and suppression negatively associated with mental well-being, ΔR2 = 4.8%, ΔF(2, 422) = 17.01, p < .001; suppression, β = −0.08, p = .028; reappraisal, β = 0.21, p < .001, but neither were associated with depression, ΔR2 = 0.4%, ΔF(2, 422) = 1.33, p = .267; suppression, β = 0.06, p = .114; reappraisal, β = 0.03, p = .525. Results highlight reappraisal as correlated with mental well-being in student-athletes, and therefore, reappraisal could be beneficial for managing stress in sport. Reappraisal may implicate how well-being is promoted through sport, but future experimental research is needed to confirm causal relationships.
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