Athlete mental health help-seeking: A systematic review and meta-analysis of rates, barriers and facilitators

S M Cosh; D G McNeil; A Jeffreys; L Clark; P J Tully

doi:10.1016/j.psychsport.2023.102586

Athlete mental health help-seeking: A systematic review and meta-analysis of rates, barriers and facilitators

Psychol Sport Exerc. 2024 Mar:71:102586. doi: 10.1016/j.psychsport.2023.102586. Epub 2023 Dec 19.

Authors

S M Cosh¹, D G McNeil², A Jeffreys³, L Clark⁴, P J Tully⁵

Affiliations

¹ School of Psychology, University of New England, Armidale, Australia; School of Psychology, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia. Electronic address: scosh@une.edu.au.
² Institute of Health and Wellbeing, Federation University, Ballarat, Australia.
³ School of Psychology, University of New England, Armidale, Australia.
⁴ Department of Psychology, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.
⁵ School of Psychology, University of New England, Armidale, Australia; Discipline of Medicine, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia.

PMID: 38128709
DOI: 10.1016/j.psychsport.2023.102586

Abstract

Athletes are vulnerable to a range of mental health symptoms, in part due to stressors within the sport environment. An early intervention framework suggests the benefits of routine screening and referral for mental health, however, greater understanding around athlete help-seeking is needed to support referral uptake. This review examined rates of formal help-seeking behaviour as well as barriers and facilitators to help-seeking in sport settings. Relevant studies were retrieved from SportDiscus, PubMed and PsycInfo, with unpublished studies identified through contacting authors. Help-seeking rates were meta-analysed and barriers and facilitators were meta-synthesised. Twenty-two studies were included. Help-seeking rates were reported in 11 studies (N = 3415) and the pooled proportion of help-seeking was 22.4 % (95 % CI 16.2-30.2, I² = 95.7 %). Barriers were reported in 13 studies and facilitators in six, highlighting a range of sporting-specific factors, such as stigma in relation to athlete identity and sport culture, fear of deselection, and concerns around confidentiality in sport settings, in addition to lack of awareness, low mental health literacy, and negative attitudes to services. Normalising experiences of mental health in sport settings, including through role models, was a key facilitator to help-seeking. Results provide implications for sport organisations to promote help-seeking and athlete mental health, such as through the use of role models, ensuring clarity around confidentiality, stigma reduction interventions, and fostering team cultures that promote mental health. Findings also support the value of sport staff in facilitating help-seeking, and organisational culture changes to foster wellbeing.

Keywords: Mental disorders; Mental illness; Psychological distress; Service access; Service uptake; Service utilisation; Sporting bodies; Wellbeing.

Publication types

Meta-Analysis
Systematic Review
Review

MeSH terms

Athletes* / psychology
Humans
Mental Disorders* / diagnosis
Mental Health
Patient Acceptance of Health Care
Social Stigma
Sports