Olympic and Paralympic athletes’ perceptions of the Canadian sport environment and mental health

IF 8 2区 医学 Q1 HOSPITALITY, LEISURE, SPORT & TOURISM
Z. A. Poucher, K. Tamminen, G. Kerr
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引用次数: 2

Abstract

ABSTRACT While athletes can experience poor mental health, researchers often focuses on the personal factors that impact an athlete’s mental health. Such a narrow focus neglects the broader contextual factors, such as involvement within sport systems, that can impact athlete mental health. Purpose: The purpose of this project was to understand how elite sport training environments in Canada impact the mental health of athletes. Methods: Team Canada Olympic and Paralympic athletes (n = 32) from team and individual sports (water polo, basketball, rowing, athletics, swimming, gymnastics, and field hockey) each participated in one semi-structured interview. Data were analysed using thematic analysis. Results: Athletes identified environmental features that supported and detracted from their mental health, including: the provision of resources, social support, performance pressure, communication, language, and coaching. These features impacted athletes’ mental health experiences by influencing their perceptions of stigma, their perceptions of mental health as an organisational priority, their help-seeking behaviours, and the minimisation of their personal experiences. Discussion: Uncertainty and a lack of control were common features of the environment contributing to athletes’ perceptions of stress and negatively impacted their wellbeing, as did a lack of trust in support providers and negative coaching practices. While some environmental features impacted athletes’ mental health directly, many had an indirect impact on athletes’ mental health (e.g. led to the minimisation of personal mental health challenges). Identifying ways to enhance athlete autonomy and educate coaches about mental health and supportive coaching practices are important directions for future research and practice.
奥运会和残奥会运动员对加拿大运动环境和心理健康的看法
摘要虽然运动员的心理健康状况不佳,但研究人员往往关注影响运动员心理健康的个人因素。这种狭隘的关注忽略了更广泛的背景因素,例如参与体育系统,这些因素可能会影响运动员的心理健康。目的:本项目旨在了解加拿大精英运动训练环境如何影响运动员的心理健康。方法:加拿大队奥运会和残奥会运动员(n = 来自团体和个人项目(水球、篮球、赛艇、田径、游泳、体操和曲棍球)的32名运动员分别参加了一次半结构化的采访。数据采用专题分析法进行分析。结果:运动员发现了支持和损害他们心理健康的环境特征,包括:资源的提供、社会支持、表现压力、沟通、语言和教练。这些特征通过影响运动员对污名的看法、他们对心理健康作为组织优先事项的看法、寻求帮助的行为以及他们个人经历的最小化,影响了他们的心理健康体验。讨论:不确定性和缺乏控制是环境的共同特征,导致运动员对压力的感知,并对他们的健康产生负面影响,对支持提供者缺乏信任和消极的教练做法也是如此。虽然一些环境特征直接影响运动员的心理健康,但许多环境特征对运动员的心理卫生有间接影响(例如,导致个人心理健康挑战最小化)。确定提高运动员自主性的方法,教育教练心理健康和支持性教练实践是未来研究和实践的重要方向。
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来源期刊
CiteScore
10.60
自引率
10.20%
发文量
36
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