School of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Wollongong, Northfields Avenue, Wollongong, AUSTRALIA.
School of Mathematics and Applied Statistics, Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, AUSTRALIA.
Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2021 Jan;53(1):139-149. doi: 10.1249/MSS.0000000000002433.
In this study, we tested the effectiveness of a multicomponent sports-based program aimed at promoting early intervention, help seeking, and resilience among a sample of adolescent male sport participants.
The Ahead of the Game program comprised four intervention components and a messaging campaign. Two components targeted mental health literacy, intentions to seek and provide help, and resilience among adolescent boys. A mental health literacy program for parents and a coach education program to assist in the support of athletes' psychological needs were also included. We evaluated the program using a nonrandomized controlled trial matching two regional communities. In total, 350 sport participants (mean, 14.53 yr) were included in an intervention group, whereas 466 (mean, 14.66 yr) received usual practice in a matched control community. One hundred and eighty parents or caregivers and eight coaches also participated in the intervention components. Between-group mean differences on the primary and secondary outcomes were analyzed using linear mixed models, adjusted for clustering at club level, participant age, and socioeconomic status.
Significant positive group-time interactions were found for the primary outcomes of depression and anxiety literacy, intentions to seek help from formal sources, confidence to seek mental health information, and resilience. We also found a significant positive group-time interaction for the secondary outcome of well-being. There were no group-time interactions for social distance (stigma), intentions to seek help from informal sources, implicit beliefs about adversity, perceived familial support, or psychological distress.
Given the high rates of sport participation worldwide and the increasing focus on mental health in this domain, translation and dissemination of the program may be warranted after replication.
本研究旨在测试一项多成分运动为基础的项目的有效性，该项目旨在促进青少年男性运动参与者群体的早期干预、求助意愿和适应力。
“领先比赛”项目包括四个干预部分和一个信息宣传活动。其中两个部分针对心理健康素养、寻求和提供帮助的意愿以及青少年男孩的适应力。还包括一个针对家长的心理健康素养计划和一个教练教育计划，以帮助满足运动员的心理需求。我们使用非随机对照试验，通过匹配两个地区社区来评估该项目。共有 350 名（平均年龄 14.53 岁）运动参与者被纳入干预组，而 466 名（平均年龄 14.66 岁）在匹配的对照社区中接受常规实践。180 名家长或照顾者和 8 名教练也参加了干预部分。使用线性混合模型分析主要和次要结局的组间平均差异，调整了俱乐部水平、参与者年龄和社会经济地位的聚类。
主要结局的抑郁和焦虑素养、寻求正式来源帮助的意愿、寻求心理健康信息的信心和适应力均显示出显著的正组时交互作用。我们还发现，幸福感的次要结局也有显著的正组时交互作用。社会距离（耻辱感）、寻求非正式来源帮助的意愿、对逆境的隐含信念、感知到的家庭支持或心理困扰的组间时间交互作用不显著。
鉴于全球范围内运动参与率较高，以及该领域对心理健康的关注度不断提高，在复制后，可能有必要对该项目进行翻译和推广。
