Promoting mental health awareness in sport clubs
| Date | 19 June 2017 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/JPMH-08-2016-0040 |
| Published date | 19 June 2017 |
| Pages | 55-62 |
| Author | Gavin Breslin,Tandy Jane Haughey,Paul Donnelly,Ciaran Kearney,Garry Prentice |
| Subject Matter | Health & social care,Mental health,Public mental health |
Promoting mental health awareness in
sport clubs
Gavin Breslin, Tandy Jane Haughey, Paul Donnelly, Ciaran Kearney and Garry Prentice
Abstract
Purpose –The World Health Organization estimates that millions of people across the world experience
mental health problems, yet traditionally athletes have been poorly supported to manage their mental health.
The purpose of this paper is to apply the Theory of Planned Behaviour to determine the effect of a mental
health awareness programme on sports coaches’knowledge and intentions to offer support to athletes who
experience mental health problems.
Design/methodology/approach –Adult coaches (n ¼244) were recruited to attend the Mood Matters in
Sport Programme mental health awareness intervention or act as a control. A 2 (group) × 2 (time)
quasi-experimental design was adopted. All participants completed the Mental Health Knowledge Schedule
and Reported and Intended Behaviour Scale at the beginning and end of the programme. Two months
postprogramme delivery focus groups were conducted.
Findings –A mixed analysis of variance showed a significant interaction effect wherein there were
improvements in mental health knowledge and intentions to offer support compared to the control group.
Focus group findings provided further detail on how to support mental health awareness in sport clubs.
Practical implications –Knowledge and intentions to offer support can be enhanced through a short
mental health awareness programme. The already established social networks available in sport clubs can
provide a natural environment for delivering mental health awareness programmes. The programme
facilitated discussion on mental health issues and highlighted that future programmes should contain more
sport-related examples (i.e. case studies, videos, etc.).
Originality/value –This is the first study to apply the Theory of Planned Behaviour to mental health
awareness programmes in a sport setting.
Keywords Resilience, Stigma, Help seeking, Mental toughness
Paper type Research paper
Introduction
Mental health is defined as “a state of well-being in which every individual realises his or her own
potential, cancope with the normal stresses of life,can work productively and fruitfully, and is able
to make a contribution to her or his community”(World Health Organization, 2014). The World
Health Organization (2011) estimate that millions of people across the world experience mental
health problems,with one in four experiencing a mental illnessat some point in their lives. Despite
the common occurrence, few young peoplewith a diagnosable mental illness receiveprofessional
help (World Federationfor Mental Health, 2009;Green et al., 2006; Biddle et al., 2006; Burns et al.,
1995) with the costs incurred by late detection or untreated mental illnesses being considerable.
Health promoters have a pivotal role to play in reducing stigma associated with having a mental
health problem.These professionals shouldencourage those who may be at risk of mentalill health
to seek help or assist in makingimportant health-related lifestylechanges. While primary care and
schools should be key sites in terms of prevention, recognition, early intervention and referral to
services, thereis evidence that many young peoplefail to seek help from these sources(Rothi and
Leavey, 2006;Rothi et al., 2005). This may be due to a combinationof stigma surrounding mental
health, a lack of information about support or the mistrust of health professionals and authority
figures (Leavey et al.,2011).
Received 6 September 2016
Revised 12 October 2016
Accepted 14 October 2016
The project was funded by Sport
Northern Ireland and the Sport
and Exercise Sciences Research
Institute at Ulster University. The
authors thank Janine O’Gorman
for assisting with the recruitment
and collection of data with
coaches in the control group.
Gavin Breslin is a Senior
Lecturer in Sport and Exercise
Psychology at the Sport and
Exercise Sciences Research
Institute, Ulster University,
Newtownabbey, UK and
The Bamford Centre for Mental
Health and Wellbeing, Ulster
University, Derry, UK.
Tandy Jane Haughey is based
at the Sport and Exercise
Sciences Research Institute,
Ulster University,
Newtownabbey, UK.
Paul Donnelly is a Policy,
Planning and Research
Manager at the Department of
Policy and Research, Sport
Northern Ireland, Belfast, UK.
Ciaran Kearney is based at the
Sport and Exercise Sciences
Research Institute, Ulster
University, Newtownabbey, UK.
Garry Prentice is a Psychology
Lecturer at the Dublin Business
School, Dublin, Ireland.
DOI 10.1108/JPMH-08-2016-0040 VOL. 16 NO. 2 2017, pp. 55-62, © Emerald Publishing Limited, ISSN 1746-5729
j
JOURNAL OF PUBLIC MENTALHEALTH
j
PAG E 55
To continue reading
Request your trial