Abstract
The current ‘state of play’ in supporting elite athlete mental health and wellbeing has centred mostly on building mental health literacy or awareness of the signs of mental ill-health amongst athletes. Such awareness is necessary, but not sufficient to address the varied mental health needs of elite athletes. We call for a new model of intervention and outline the backbone of a comprehensive mental health framework to promote athlete mental health and wellbeing, and respond to the needs of athletes who are at-risk of developing, or already experiencing mental health symptoms or disorders. Early detection of, and intervention for, mental health symptoms is essential in the elite sporting context. Such approaches help build cultures that acknowledge that an athlete’s mental health needs are as important as their physical health needs, and that both are likely to contribute to optimizing the athlete’s overall wellbeing in conjunction with performance excellence.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
- Background of the study
There has been a rapid increase in research examining the mental health of elite athletes culminating with the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC’s) recent Expert Consensus Statement on mental health in elite athletes [1]. This statement provides a comprehensive analysis of, and recommendations for, the treatment of both high prevalence (e.g. anxiety and mood symptoms) and more complex mental health disorders (e.g. eating and bipolar disorders) in the elite sporting context. This is a timely resource which will help guide and ultimately improve the clinical management of athletes by sports medicine, mental health, and allied health professionals. The primary focus of the consensus statement, along with much of the extant literature, is on managing the individual athlete affected by mental illhealth. There has been little scholarly and service-level attention to more comprehensive frameworks that (a) recognise the role of the broader elite sports ecology as both a contributor to athlete mental health difficulties and a facilitator of their remediation, and (b) approaches that emphasise the prevention of mental health symptoms, along with early detection and intervention to restore athlete wellbeing (and ideally optimise performance).
High-quality, systematic studies on the nature and impacts of physical injuries in elite athletes most notably, head injuries/concussion and limb injuries have led to advances in how these injuries are optimally managed or, ideally, prevented. There is comparatively less research on, but growing interest in, the mental health and psychological wellbeing of elite-level athletes (Baron DA, Reardon CL et al 2019). The prevalence of diagnosable psychiatric disorders in this population remains a matter of debate (McDuff DR. 2012); however, notions that elite athletes are devoid of mental health problems have been increasingly scrutinised by sports medicine practitioners. The intense mental and physical demands placed on elite athletes are a unique aspect of a sporting career, and these may increase their susceptibility to certain mental health problems and risk-taking behaviours. Furthermore, the peak competitive years for elite athletes tend to overlap with the peak age for the risk of onset of mental disorders (Glick ID, Kamm R, Morse E 2012). In addition to physical and competition stress, elite athletes face a unique array of ‘workplace’ stressors, including the pressures of increased public scrutiny through mainstream and social media, limited support networks due to relocation, group dynamics in team sports and the potential for injuries to end careers prematurely. The ways by which athletes appraise and cope with these stressors can be a powerful determinant of the impact the stressors have on both their mental health and their sporting success. Athletes tend not to seek support for mental health problems, for reasons such as stigma, lack of understanding about mental health and its potential influence on performance, and the perception of help seeking as a sign of weakness (Hanton S, Fletcher D, Coughlan G 2009). While there have been efforts to disseminate sport-related mental health findings in order to advance the prevention, identification and early treatment of psychopathology in elite athletes, there are suggestions that some sporting governing bodies continue to minimise the significance of mental ill-health in this population. This has sobering implications if elite athletes within such organisations are not provided with access to timely or adequate mental health care, or do not feel that the culture of the sporting organisation is such that they can even raise their mental health concerns. While it is well established that physical activity has a positive effect on mental health (WHO 2018), a review has found that intense physical activity performed at the elite athlete level might instead compromise mental wellbeing, increasing symptoms of anxiety and depression through overtraining, injury and burnout. Some, though not all, research suggests that this population has an increased risk of mental health problems, including eating disorders and suicide. A recent national survey of elite athletes in Australia found that almost half acknowledged symptoms of at least one of the mental health problems that were assessed, with prevalence rates similar to those reported in the community. Emerging research suggests that retired elite athletes may be at particularly elevated risk of mental ill-health, corresponding to both low rates of formal athlete mental health screening processes and player perceptions of inadequate availability of mental health support (Drew M, Vlahovich N, Hughes D, et al 2016).
- STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
The intense mental and physical demands placed on elite athletes are a unique aspect of a sporting career, and these may increase their susceptibility to certain mental health problems and risk-taking behaviours. Furthermore, the peak competitive years for elite athletes tend to overlap with the peak age for the risk of onset of mental disorders. In addition to physical and competition stress, elite athletes face a unique array of ‘workplace’ stressors, including the pressures of increased public scrutiny through mainstream and social media, limited support networks due to relocation, group dynamics in team sports and the potential for injuries to end careers prematurely. Athletes tend not to seek support for mental health problems, for reasons such as stigma, lack of understanding about mental health and its potential influence on performance, and the perception of help seeking as a sign of weakness. While there have been efforts to disseminate sport-related mental health findings in order to advance the prevention, identification and early treatment of psychopathology in elite athletes, there are suggestions that some sporting governing bodies continue to minimise the significance of mental ill-health in this population. This has sobering implications if elite athletes within such organisations are not provided with access to timely or adequate mental health care, or do not feel that the culture of the sporting organisation is such that they can even raise their mental health concerns
- OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY
The study has one main objective which is sub-divided into general and specific objective, the general objective is to examine the influence of sport on youth mental health in Gwagwalada. The specific objectives are;
- To examine the effect of sport on youth mental health in Gwagwalada
- To the relationship between sport and youth mental health in Gwagwalada area council
- To examine the effect of terminal injury on the mental health of youth in sport in Gwagwalada area council
- To proffer suggested solution to the identified problem
- RESEARCH QUESTIONS
The following research questions were formulated by the researcher to aid the completion of the study;
- Does sport have any effect on youth mental health in Gwagwalada?
- Is there any significant relationship between sport and youth mental health in Gwagwalada area council?
- Is there any effect of terminal injury on the mental health of youth in sport in Gwagwalada area council?
- RESEARCH HYPOTHESES
The following research hypotheses were formulated by the researcher to aid the completion of the study;
H0: There is no significant relationship between sport and youth mental health in Gwagwalada area council
H1: There is a significant relationship between sport and youth mental health in Gwagwalada area council
H0: There is no effect of terminal injury on the mental health of youth in sport in Gwagwalada area council
H2: There is an effect of terminal injury on the mental health of youth in sport in Gwagwalada area council
- SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
It is believed that at the completion of the study, the findings of this study will be of importance to the development in the development of youth rehabilitation programs in sport especially for athlete with terminal injury. The study will also be of great importance to researchers who intend to embark on a study in a similar topic as the findings of this study will serve as a reference point to further studies. The study will also be of great importance to students, teachers, academia’s, lecturers and the general public as the findings of this study will contribute to the pool of existing literature on the subject matter and also contribute to knowledge.
- SCOPE AND LIMITATION OF THE STUDY
The scope of the study covers the influence of sport on youth mental health in Gwagwalada. But in the course of the study, there are some factors that limit the scope of the study;
AVAILABILITY OF RESEARCH MATERIAL: The research material available to the researcher is insufficient, thereby limiting the study
TIME: The time frame allocated to the study does not enhance wider coverage as the researcher has to combine other academic activities and examinations with the study.
FINANCE: The finance available for the research work does not allow for wider coverage as resources are very limited as the researcher has other academic bills to cover.
- OPERATIONAL DEFINITION OF TERMS
Sport
The word “sport” comes from the Old French desport meaning “leisure”, with the oldest definition in English from around 1300 being “anything humans find amusing or entertaining
Mental health
Mental health, a state of well-being in which the individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to his or her community” according to the World Health Organization (WHO)
1.9 ORGANIZATION OF THE STUDY
This research work is organized in five chapters, for easy understanding, as follows
Chapter one is concern with the introduction, which consist of the (overview, of the study), statement of problem, objectives of the study, research question, significance or the study, research methodology, definition of terms and historical background of the study. Chapter two highlight the theoretical framework on which the study its based, thus the review of related literature. Chapter three deals on the research design and methodology adopted in the study. Chapter four concentrate on the data collection and analysis and presentation of finding. Chapter five gives summary, conclusion, and recommendations made of the study.
