An Intervention for Mental Health Literacy and Resilience in Organized Sports

Stewart A Vella¹, Christian Swann, Marijka Batterham², Katherine M Boydell³, Simon Eckermann⁴, Helen Ferguson⁵, Andrea Fogarty⁶, Diarmuid Hurley¹, Sarah K Liddle⁷, Chris Lonsdale⁸, Andrew Miller⁹, Michael Noetel⁸, Anthony D Okely¹⁰, Taren Sanders⁸, Matthew J Schweickle⁷, Joanne Telenta¹¹, Frank P Deane¹²

Affiliations

¹ School of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Wollongong, Northfields Avenue, Wollongong, AUSTRALIA.
² School of Mathematics and Applied Statistics, Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, AUSTRALIA.
³ Black Dog Institute, University of New South Wales, Randwick, AUSTRALIA.
⁴ Australian Health Services Research Institute, Sydney Business School, Faculty of Business, University of Wollongong, Northfields Avenue, Wollongong, AUSTRALIA.
⁵ English Institute of Sport, The High Performance Centre, Bisham Abbey National Sports Centre, Bisham, Buckinghamshire, UNITED KINGDOM.
⁶ Black Dog Institute, University of New South Wales, Hospital Road, Randwick, AUSTRALIA.
⁷ School of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, AUSTRALIA.
⁸ Institute for Positive Psychology and Education, Faculty of Health Sciences, Australian Catholic University, North Sydney, AUSTRALIA.
⁹ School of Education, University of Newcastle, Callaghan NSW, AUSTRALIA.
¹⁰ Early Start, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, AUSTRALIA.
¹¹ Centre for Health and Social Research, St. Patrick's Campus, Melbourne, AUSTRALIA.
¹² Illawarra Institute for Mental Health, School of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Wollongong, Northfields Avenue, Wollongong, AUSTRALIA.

PMID: 32555025
PMCID: PMC7737879
DOI: 10.1249/MSS.0000000000002433

An Intervention for Mental Health Literacy and Resilience in Organized Sports

Stewart A Vella et al. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2021 Jan.

. 2021 Jan;53(1):139-149.

doi: 10.1249/MSS.0000000000002433.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ School of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Wollongong, Northfields Avenue, Wollongong, AUSTRALIA.
² School of Mathematics and Applied Statistics, Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, AUSTRALIA.
³ Black Dog Institute, University of New South Wales, Randwick, AUSTRALIA.
⁴ Australian Health Services Research Institute, Sydney Business School, Faculty of Business, University of Wollongong, Northfields Avenue, Wollongong, AUSTRALIA.
⁵ English Institute of Sport, The High Performance Centre, Bisham Abbey National Sports Centre, Bisham, Buckinghamshire, UNITED KINGDOM.
⁶ Black Dog Institute, University of New South Wales, Hospital Road, Randwick, AUSTRALIA.
⁷ School of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, AUSTRALIA.
⁸ Institute for Positive Psychology and Education, Faculty of Health Sciences, Australian Catholic University, North Sydney, AUSTRALIA.
⁹ School of Education, University of Newcastle, Callaghan NSW, AUSTRALIA.
¹⁰ Early Start, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, AUSTRALIA.
¹¹ Centre for Health and Social Research, St. Patrick's Campus, Melbourne, AUSTRALIA.
¹² Illawarra Institute for Mental Health, School of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Wollongong, Northfields Avenue, Wollongong, AUSTRALIA.

PMID: 32555025
PMCID: PMC7737879
DOI: 10.1249/MSS.0000000000002433

Abstract

Purpose: In this study, we tested the effectiveness of a multicomponent sports-based program aimed at promoting early intervention, help seeking, and resilience among a sample of adolescent male sport participants.

Methods: The Ahead of the Game program comprised four intervention components and a messaging campaign. Two components targeted mental health literacy, intentions to seek and provide help, and resilience among adolescent boys. A mental health literacy program for parents and a coach education program to assist in the support of athletes' psychological needs were also included. We evaluated the program using a nonrandomized controlled trial matching two regional communities. In total, 350 sport participants (mean, 14.53 yr) were included in an intervention group, whereas 466 (mean, 14.66 yr) received usual practice in a matched control community. One hundred and eighty parents or caregivers and eight coaches also participated in the intervention components. Between-group mean differences on the primary and secondary outcomes were analyzed using linear mixed models, adjusted for clustering at club level, participant age, and socioeconomic status.

Results: Significant positive group-time interactions were found for the primary outcomes of depression and anxiety literacy, intentions to seek help from formal sources, confidence to seek mental health information, and resilience. We also found a significant positive group-time interaction for the secondary outcome of well-being. There were no group-time interactions for social distance (stigma), intentions to seek help from informal sources, implicit beliefs about adversity, perceived familial support, or psychological distress.

Conclusions: Given the high rates of sport participation worldwide and the increasing focus on mental health in this domain, translation and dissemination of the program may be warranted after replication.

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References

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An Intervention for Mental Health Literacy and Resilience in Organized Sports

Affiliations

An Intervention for Mental Health Literacy and Resilience in Organized Sports

Authors

Affiliations

Abstract

References

Publication types

MeSH terms

LinkOut - more resources

Full Text Sources

Medical