Pilkington Vita, Rice Simon M, Walton Courtney C, Gwyther Kate, Olive Lisa, Butterworth Matt, Clements Matti, Cross Gemma, Purcell Rosemary
The Centre for Youth Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
Elite Sports and Mental Health, Orygen, 35 Poplar Road, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia.
Sports Med Open. 2022 Jul 6;8(1):89. doi: 10.1186/s40798-022-00479-y.
There is growing understanding of mental health needs in elite athletes, but less is known about the mental health of coaches and support staff who work within elite sport settings. This study examined the prevalence and correlates of mental health symptoms in elite-level coaches and high-performance support staff (HPSS) and compared rates against published elite athlete samples. A cross-sectional, anonymous, online survey was administered to coaches and HPSS working in Australia's high-performance sports system. Main outcomes were scores on validated measures of psychological distress, probable 'caseness' for a diagnosable psychological condition, alcohol consumption and sleep disturbance.
Data were provided by 78 coaches (mean age = 46.4 years, 23.8% female) and 174 HPSS (mean age = 40.0 years, 56.7% female). Overall, 41.2% of the sample met probable caseness criteria, 13.9% reported high to very high psychological distress, 41.8% reported potential risky alcohol consumption and 17.7% reported moderate to severe sleep disturbance, with no statistically significant differences between coaches and HPSS. The most robust correlates of psychological distress and probable caseness were dissatisfaction with social support and dissatisfaction with life balance, while poor life balance was also associated with increased alcohol consumption and poor social support with sleep disturbance. Coaches and HPSS reported similar prevalence of mental health outcomes compared to rates previously observed in elite athletes, with the exception of higher reporting of alcohol consumption among coaches and HPSS.
Elite-level coaches and HPSS reported levels of psychological distress and probable caseness similar to those previously reported among elite-level athletes, suggesting that these groups are also susceptible to the pressures of high-performance sporting environments. Screening for mental health symptoms in elite sport should be extended from athletes to all key stakeholders in the daily training environment, as should access to programs to support mental health and well-being.
人们对精英运动员的心理健康需求的认识日益加深，但对于在精英体育环境中工作的教练和支持人员的心理健康了解较少。本研究调查了精英水平教练和高水平支持人员（HPSS）心理健康症状的患病率及其相关因素，并将其发生率与已发表的精英运动员样本进行比较。对澳大利亚高性能体育系统中的教练和HPSS进行了一项横断面、匿名的在线调查。主要结果是心理困扰的有效测量得分、可诊断心理状况的可能“病例”、饮酒情况和睡眠障碍。
78名教练（平均年龄 = 46.4岁，23.8%为女性）和174名HPSS（平均年龄 = 40.0岁，56.7%为女性）提供了数据。总体而言，41.2%的样本符合可能病例标准，13.9%报告有高到非常高的心理困扰，41.8%报告有潜在的危险饮酒行为，17.7%报告有中度至重度睡眠障碍，教练和HPSS之间无统计学显著差异。心理困扰和可能病例的最有力相关因素是对社会支持的不满和对生活平衡的不满，而生活平衡差也与饮酒量增加有关，社会支持差与睡眠障碍有关。与之前在精英运动员中观察到的发生率相比，教练和HPSS报告的心理健康结果患病率相似，但教练和HPSS中饮酒报告率较高除外。
精英水平教练和HPSS报告的心理困扰水平和可能病例与之前精英水平运动员中报告的相似，表明这些群体也易受高性能体育环境压力的影响。精英体育中对心理健康症状筛查应从运动员扩展到日常训练环境中的所有关键利益相关者，获得支持心理健康和幸福的项目也应如此。
