Mental health aspects and coping strategies for student-athletes : from both academic and athletic perspectives

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to investigate the mental health status of student-athletes. Student-athletes have to keep up with their academic advancement, together with athletic development. Student-athletes frequently experience higher levels of stress, anxiety, and depression (Storch et al., 2005) due to the many stressors they face, including academic pressures, deadlines for assignments, and performance pressure and injuries in sport (Stambulova & Wyellman, 2019). If individuals are unable to cope with the psychological pressures they face, it can significantly affect their overall well-being. This can result in psychological distress or burnout, which may lead to an early withdrawal from sports or academics (Sorkkila et al., 2019). The research seeks to investigate the factors contributing to mental health concerns, from both the academic and the athletic perspective. Qualitative data was collected by conducting semi-structured interviews with six student-athletes, who are currently pursuing their studies at a tertiary level. The participants were mostly female, with only one male participant, all coming from a team sport. The interviews were thoroughly analysed using the process of thematic analysis. Three main themes were identified: ‘Student-Athletes’ View of Mental Health,’ ‘Mental Health Challenges Faced by Student-Athletes’ and ‘Coping Strategies’. The participants discussed in-depth the struggles they face in their dual career path; anxiety, stress, pressure, and time management, among others. They also mention that mental health is a common struggle that everyone faces at some point in their life, thus, it is important to be knowledgeable on how to cope with it. Student-athletes shared some coping strategies that they find helpful including having a positive mindset, mindfulness practices, visualiation and setting goals. The participants also mentioned the importance of external support, namely from friends, teammates, parents or even specialists, such as psychologists.