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Mental health and officiating performance
Nate Taylor1, David Hancock2, Philip Sullivan1
1Department of Kinesiology, Brock University, St. Catharine's, ON, Canada.
Frontiers in Psychology
|January 22, 2026
Summary
Sport officials' wellbeing significantly predicts their performance. While psychological distress did not directly impact performance, overall mental health is crucial for effective officiating. This research highlights the importance of supporting officials' mental health.
Area of Science:
- Sports Science
- Psychology
Background:
- Mental health challenges can impact sport officials' performance.
- Previous research indicates a belief among officials that mental health issues negatively affect their duties.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between mental health and officiating performance.
- To determine if psychological distress and mental wellbeing predict performance in sport officials.
Main Methods:
- Subjective officiating performance was rated, alongside mental health measures (Kessler K10, Warwick-Edinburgh wellbeing scale).
- 274 Canada Basketball referees participated, with data analyzed using Hierarchical Linear Regression, controlling for experience.
Main Results:
- Hierarchical Linear Regression showed a significant relationship between mental health and performance (p < 0.001).
- Mental wellbeing was a significant predictor of officiating performance, accounting for 19% of the variation.
- Psychological distress did not show a direct influence on performance.
Conclusions:
- Sport officials' mental wellbeing is a key factor in their perceived performance.
- While distress may not directly affect performance, overall wellbeing is demonstrably linked to effective officiating.
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