Olympic and Paralympic coaches' perceived barriers to mental health help-seeking: a concept mapping study

To investigate challenges associated with mental health help-seeking among Olympic and Paralympic coaches. The study also sought to identify which challenges were most important and feasible to address.

The study employed a mixed-methods group concept mapping methodology. Participants brainstormed, sorted (into groups) and rated (for importance and feasibility) statements on 5-point Likert scales in response to the prompt, 'What makes it challenging for an Olympic or Paralympic coach to seek help for their mental health?'. Nineteen Olympic coaches, Paralympic coaches and mental health professionals participated.

Participants brainstormed 68 unique statements. Ranked by importance, 10 core clusters of challenges were identified: (1) pressures and instability within high-performance sports environments, (2) stigma associated with mental health help-seeking, (3) lack of prioritisation for own mental health care, (4) lack of environmental safety to seek mental health support, (5) lack of adequate mental health literacy, (6) time constraints, (7) expectations to manage role-related pressures, (8) misconceptions about mental resilience, (9) lack of access to mental health support, and (10) hesitance to engage with mental health practitioners. A 'lack of adequate mental health literacy' and 'pressures and instability within high-performance sports environments' were rated the most and least feasible challenges to address, respectively.

While dynamic individual factors with high feasibility may offer short-term solutions (eg, mental health literacy), sports organisations should prioritise eliminating culturally embedded barriers deterring coaches from seeking help. Considering their unique insights, coaches and mental health professionals should play an active role in developing psychological supports for coaches.