Sports Psychology

Sports Psychology

Modeling Psychological and Personal Management Factors Affecting Mental Health Management: A Qualitative Approach

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Ebrahim Shekhzadeh Marand 1
Marziyeh Khalifeh Soltani 2
1 Assistant Professor, CT.C., Islamic Azad University ,Tehran, Iran.
2 Assistant Professor in Sport Management, Department of Sport Sciences, Faculty of Educational Sciences and Psychology, University of Sistan and Baluchestan, Zahedan, Iran.
10.48308/mbsp.2023.10680.1120
Abstract
Purpose: The present study aimed to model the psychological and self-management factors affecting the mental health management of professional athletes using a qualitative approach.

Methods: This qualitative study was conducted using semi-structured in-depth interviews with 15 experts (academic, technical, and executive opinion leaders). Purposive and snowball sampling methods were employed. Data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis through open, axial, and selective coding with MAXQDA 2020 software. The credibility of the findings was assessed using Lincoln and Guba's (1985) criteria, and reliability was examined through inter-coder agreement and test-retest methods.

Results: The findings revealed that the final model consists of three main dimensions: (1) psychological factors (competitive pressure, social support, psychological counseling); (2) self-management/personal management (diversity in daily activities, time management, proper work-rest balance); and (3) skill development (negotiation skills training, problem-solving skills training). In total, 140 semantic phrases and 70 open codes were extracted, which were categorized into 8 axial codes and 3 selective codes.

Conclusions: The proposed model can be introduced as a preventive and effective tool in the mental health management of professional athletes and can contribute to the development of managerial and educational strategies in this field. It is recommended that sports organizations and federations consider this model in designing their supportive and educational programs.
Keywords
Mental Health
Mental Health Management
Self-Management
Psychological Factors
Professional Athletes
Subjects

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2.      Chrétien A, D'arripe-Longueville F, Haffner J, Hayotte M, Bernier M, Vuillemin A. Using a socioecological approach to explore healthy lifestyle in elite sport: a qualitative study of French athletes’, coaches’, and managers’ perspectives. Int J Qual Stud Health Well-being. 2023;18(1):2251235.

3.      Smith MJ, Runswick OR. Enhancing coach understanding of mental ill health through the identification of temporal themes in athletes’ stories. Int Sport Coach J. 2021;8(2):172-182. https://doi.org/10.1123/iscj.2019-0073   

4.      VaezMousavi M, Shams A. Mental health of Iranian elite athletes. Iran J Health Educ Health Promot. 2017;5(3):191-202. https://doi.org/10.30699/acadpub.ijhehp.5.3.191  

5.      Rowan M, Sarafin SR, Willoughby K, McManama O'Brien KH. Mental health concerns in athletes. In: Christino MA, Pluhar EI, Micheli LJ, editors. Psychological considerations in the young athlete: a multidisciplinary approach. Cham: Springer International Publishing; 2023. p. 21-58. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-25126-9_2

6.      Bird GA, Quinton ML, Cumming J. Promoting athlete mental health: the role of emotion regulation. J Clin Sport Psychol. 2021;17(2):112-130.

7.      Perry C, Champ FM, Macbeth J, Spandler H. Mental health and elite female athletes: a scoping review. Psychol Sport Exerc. 2021;56:101961. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychsport.2021.101961

8.      Putukian M. Mental health concerns in athletes. In: Specific sports-related injuries. Cham: Springer International Publishing; 2022. p. 489-507.

9.      Glandorf HL, Madigan DJ, Kavanagh O, Mallinson-Howard SH. Mental and physical health outcomes of burnout in athletes: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Int Rev Sport Exerc Psychol. 2023;1-45. https://doi.org/10.1080/1750984X.2023.2225187

10.  Weston MA. The anxious athlete: mental health and sports' duty and advantage to protect. Harv J Sports Entertain Law. 2022;13:1.

11.  Xanthopoulos MS, Benton T, Lewis J, Case JA, Master CL. Mental health in the young athlete. Curr Psychiatry Rep. 2020;22(11):63. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11920-020-01185-w  

12.  Gouttebarge V, Bindra A, Blauwet C, Campriani N, Currie A, Engebretsen L, et al. International Olympic Committee (IOC) sport mental health assessment tool 1 (SMHAT-1) and sport mental health recognition tool 1 (SMHRT-1): towards better support of athletes’ mental health. Br J Sports Med. 2021;55(1):30-37. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2020-102411

13.  Reardon CL. The mental health of athletes: recreational to elite. Curr Sports Med Rep. 2021;20(12):631-637. https://doi.org/10.1249/JSR.0000000000000916

14.  Reardon CL, Hainline B, Aron CM, Baron D, Baum AL, Bindra A, et al. Mental health in elite athletes: International Olympic Committee consensus statement (2019). Br J Sports Med. 2019;53(11):667-699. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2019-100715

15.  Henriksen K, Schinke R, Moesch K, McCann S, Parham WD, Larsen CH, et al. Consensus statement on improving the mental health of high-performance athletes. Int J Sport Exerc Psychol. 2020;18(5):553-560.

16.  Amatriain-Fernández S, Budde H, Gronwald T, Quiroga C, Carreón C, Viana-Torre G, et al. The endocannabinoid system as modulator of exercise benefits in mental health. Curr Neuropharmacol. 2021;19(8):1304.

17.  Edwards CD. Management of mental health challenges in athletes: screening, pharmacology, and behavioral approaches. Clin Sports Med. 2024;43(1):13-31.

18.  Sims ST, Kerksick CM, Smith-Ryan AE, Janse de Jonge XA, Hirsch KR, Arent SM, et al. International society of sports nutrition position stand: nutritional concerns of the female athlete. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2023;20(1):2204066.

19.  Nazari V, Dosti M, Alizadeh Sh, Nazari S. Comparison of the amount of physical activity and mental health of young athletes in the conditions of the Corona epidemic. In: The 7th National Conference on Sports and Health Studies in the Islamic World; 2023; Tehran. p. 8-1. In Persian

20.  Walton CC, Purcell R, Henderson JL, Kim J, Kerr G, Frost J, et al. Mental health among elite youth athletes: a narrative overview to advance research and practice. Sports Health. 2024;19417381231219230.

21.  Lincoln YS, Guba EG. Naturalistic inquiry. Beverly Hills, CA: Sage Publications; 1985.

22.  Stemler S. An overview of content analysis. Pract Assess Res Eval. 2000;7(1):17.

 

1.      Walton CC, Purcell R, Henderson JL, Kim J, Kerr G, Frost J, et al. Mental health among elite youth athletes: a narrative overview to advance research and practice. Sports Health. 2024;16(2):166-176. https://doi.org/10.1177/19417381231219230
2.      Chrétien A, D'arripe-Longueville F, Haffner J, Hayotte M, Bernier M, Vuillemin A. Using a socioecological approach to explore healthy lifestyle in elite sport: a qualitative study of French athletes’, coaches’, and managers’ perspectives. Int J Qual Stud Health Well-being. 2023;18(1):2251235.
3.      Smith MJ, Runswick OR. Enhancing coach understanding of mental ill health through the identification of temporal themes in athletes’ stories. Int Sport Coach J. 2021;8(2):172-182. https://doi.org/10.1123/iscj.2019-0073   
4.      VaezMousavi M, Shams A. Mental health of Iranian elite athletes. Iran J Health Educ Health Promot. 2017;5(3):191-202. https://doi.org/10.30699/acadpub.ijhehp.5.3.191  
5.      Rowan M, Sarafin SR, Willoughby K, McManama O'Brien KH. Mental health concerns in athletes. In: Christino MA, Pluhar EI, Micheli LJ, editors. Psychological considerations in the young athlete: a multidisciplinary approach. Cham: Springer International Publishing; 2023. p. 21-58. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-25126-9_2
6.      Bird GA, Quinton ML, Cumming J. Promoting athlete mental health: the role of emotion regulation. J Clin Sport Psychol. 2021;17(2):112-130.
7.      Perry C, Champ FM, Macbeth J, Spandler H. Mental health and elite female athletes: a scoping review. Psychol Sport Exerc. 2021;56:101961. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychsport.2021.101961
8.      Putukian M. Mental health concerns in athletes. In: Specific sports-related injuries. Cham: Springer International Publishing; 2022. p. 489-507.
9.      Glandorf HL, Madigan DJ, Kavanagh O, Mallinson-Howard SH. Mental and physical health outcomes of burnout in athletes: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Int Rev Sport Exerc Psychol. 2023;1-45. https://doi.org/10.1080/1750984X.2023.2225187
10.  Weston MA. The anxious athlete: mental health and sports' duty and advantage to protect. Harv J Sports Entertain Law. 2022;13:1.
11.  Xanthopoulos MS, Benton T, Lewis J, Case JA, Master CL. Mental health in the young athlete. Curr Psychiatry Rep. 2020;22(11):63. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11920-020-01185-w  
12.  Gouttebarge V, Bindra A, Blauwet C, Campriani N, Currie A, Engebretsen L, et al. International Olympic Committee (IOC) sport mental health assessment tool 1 (SMHAT-1) and sport mental health recognition tool 1 (SMHRT-1): towards better support of athletes’ mental health. Br J Sports Med. 2021;55(1):30-37. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2020-102411
13.  Reardon CL. The mental health of athletes: recreational to elite. Curr Sports Med Rep. 2021;20(12):631-637. https://doi.org/10.1249/JSR.0000000000000916
14.  Reardon CL, Hainline B, Aron CM, Baron D, Baum AL, Bindra A, et al. Mental health in elite athletes: International Olympic Committee consensus statement (2019). Br J Sports Med. 2019;53(11):667-699. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2019-100715
15.  Henriksen K, Schinke R, Moesch K, McCann S, Parham WD, Larsen CH, et al. Consensus statement on improving the mental health of high-performance athletes. Int J Sport Exerc Psychol. 2020;18(5):553-560.
16.  Amatriain-Fernández S, Budde H, Gronwald T, Quiroga C, Carreón C, Viana-Torre G, et al. The endocannabinoid system as modulator of exercise benefits in mental health. Curr Neuropharmacol. 2021;19(8):1304.
17.  Edwards CD. Management of mental health challenges in athletes: screening, pharmacology, and behavioral approaches. Clin Sports Med. 2024;43(1):13-31.
18.  Sims ST, Kerksick CM, Smith-Ryan AE, Janse de Jonge XA, Hirsch KR, Arent SM, et al. International society of sports nutrition position stand: nutritional concerns of the female athlete. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2023;20(1):2204066.
19.  Nazari V, Dosti M, Alizadeh Sh, Nazari S. Comparison of the amount of physical activity and mental health of young athletes in the conditions of the Corona epidemic. In: The 7th National Conference on Sports and Health Studies in the Islamic World; 2023; Tehran. p. 8-1. In Persian
20.  Walton CC, Purcell R, Henderson JL, Kim J, Kerr G, Frost J, et al. Mental health among elite youth athletes: a narrative overview to advance research and practice. Sports Health. 2024;19417381231219230.
21.  Lincoln YS, Guba EG. Naturalistic inquiry. Beverly Hills, CA: Sage Publications; 1985.
22.  Stemler S. An overview of content analysis. Pract Assess Res Eval. 2000;7(1):17.
 
Sports Psychology
Volume 15, Issue 1
2023
Pages 253-280

  • Receive Date 01 June 2022
  • Revise Date 03 September 2022
  • Accept Date 06 December 2022