College athletes and mental health help seeking behavior
Major
Nursing, BSN
Submission Type
Poster
Area of Study or Work
Nursing
Faculty Advisor
Wendy Kooken
Location
CNS Atrium
Start Date
4-13-2024 8:30 AM
End Date
4-13-2024 9:45 AM
Abstract
Suicide is the third-leading cause of death among student athletes ages 15-24, with 40% of them feeling persistently sad and hopeless. In college athletes, suicide ranks fourth as a leading cause of death. College athletes' mental health concerns are not often effectively screened or evaluated. College athletes are under more stress and have higher suicide risks than non-athletes, as they experience higher levels of pressure, but there are barriers to asking or receiving help. Athletes struggle with burnout/overtraining, lack of confidence, and stress. Male and female college athletes experience mental health demands differently, with females experiencing eating disorders more frequently and seeking help more often than males. Stigma surrounding mental health concerns leads many college athletes to believe that seeking mental health help is socially unacceptable. Although student athletes are exposed to high levels of stress, which puts them at risk for a range of mental health problems, limited attention has been given to them in identifying strategies that may contribute to their well-being and seeking help. A multi-faceted approach to decreasing stigma will have a meaningful impact on athletes who need counseling by encouraging service use. This literature review aims to determine the benefits of seeking mental health help in college athletes, and the different obstacles male and female athletes may encounter. PRISMA guidelines for literature reviews will be following using key words suicide, mental health, help-seeking, collegiate/college athletes, and benefits.
College athletes and mental health help seeking behavior
CNS Atrium
Suicide is the third-leading cause of death among student athletes ages 15-24, with 40% of them feeling persistently sad and hopeless. In college athletes, suicide ranks fourth as a leading cause of death. College athletes' mental health concerns are not often effectively screened or evaluated. College athletes are under more stress and have higher suicide risks than non-athletes, as they experience higher levels of pressure, but there are barriers to asking or receiving help. Athletes struggle with burnout/overtraining, lack of confidence, and stress. Male and female college athletes experience mental health demands differently, with females experiencing eating disorders more frequently and seeking help more often than males. Stigma surrounding mental health concerns leads many college athletes to believe that seeking mental health help is socially unacceptable. Although student athletes are exposed to high levels of stress, which puts them at risk for a range of mental health problems, limited attention has been given to them in identifying strategies that may contribute to their well-being and seeking help. A multi-faceted approach to decreasing stigma will have a meaningful impact on athletes who need counseling by encouraging service use. This literature review aims to determine the benefits of seeking mental health help in college athletes, and the different obstacles male and female athletes may encounter. PRISMA guidelines for literature reviews will be following using key words suicide, mental health, help-seeking, collegiate/college athletes, and benefits.