Male professional footballers’ experiences of mental health difficulties and help-seeking

Susan Wood, Lesley K Harrison, Jo Kucharska

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

    60 Citations (Scopus)
    2080 Downloads (Pure)

    Abstract

    Objectives: Male professional footballers (soccer) represent an at-risk population of developing mental health difficulties and not accessing professional support. One in four current footballers report mental health difficulties. Higher prevalence is reported after retirement. This qualitative study aimed to provide in-depth insight into male professional footballers’ lived experiences of mental health difficulties and help-seeking.Methods: Seven participants were interviewed. Data were analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis.Results: One superordinate theme emerged; ‘Survival’. This related to survival in the professional football world, of mental health difficulties and after transition into the ‘real world’. Six subordinate themes are explored alongside literature pertaining to male mental health, identity, injury, transition, and emotional development. Shame, stigma, fear and level of mental health literacy (knowledge of mental health and support) were barriers to help-seeking.Conclusion: Support for professional footballers’ mental wellbeing requires improvement. Recommendations are made for future research, mental health education and support. Publisher Policies: This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in The Physician and Sportsmedicine on 1st February 2017, available online: http://www.tandfonline.com/10.1080/00913847.2017.1283209
    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)120-128
    Number of pages9
    JournalThe Physician and Sportsmedicine
    Volume45
    Issue number2
    Early online date18 Jan 2017
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 1 Feb 2017

    Keywords

    • Professional football
    • soccer
    • athletes
    • mental health
    • help seeking
    • male mental health
    • interpretative phenomenological analysis

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