Screening and Referral for Behavioral Health Symptoms in Collegiate Athletes

Area of Science:

• Sports Medicine
• Behavioral Health
• Psychology

Background:

• Behavioral health issues are prevalent in collegiate athletes.
• Many athletes face barriers to seeking treatment for mental health concerns.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the prevalence of behavioral health symptoms in collegiate athletes.
• To assess the frequency of referrals generated by a preparticipation behavioral health screening tool.

Main Methods:

• A screening battery was administered to collegiate athletes to identify behavioral health symptoms.
• Sports psychology clinicians established intervention criteria based on symptom severity.
• Data from 1126 de-identified screening surveys were analyzed.

Main Results:

• 39% of athletes screened positive for behavioral health symptoms requiring referral.
• 12% of athletes required a safety check-in due to symptom severity.
• 7% of athletes were newly connected to behavioral health services.

Conclusions:

• Behavioral health symptoms are common in collegiate athletes, yet many do not seek care.
• A preparticipation screening battery effectively identified athletes in need of services.
• A tiered intervention protocol facilitated appropriate triage and referral, improving access to care and athlete well-being.