Harker JR, Petrie TA. What facilitates collegiate athletes seeking mental health care? Athletic trainers' perceptions.
JOURNAL OF AMERICAN COLLEGE HEALTH : J OF ACH 2025;
73:161-167. [PMID:
37167597 DOI:
10.1080/07448481.2023.2208239]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2022] [Revised: 03/17/2023] [Accepted: 04/14/2023] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
Participants: 534 ATs within collegiate athletic departments (Mage = 35.50 years; 64.2% women; 87.3% White).
Methods: ATs were asked to indicate the extent to which they believed 10 student-athlete beliefs about MH (e.g. confidence MH treatments work) and 10 stakeholders (e.g. teammate) would facilitate student-athletes' help-seeking for MH care (1, Strongly Disagree, to 5, Strongly Agree).
Results: We conducted separate two-way mixed design ANOVAs, one for each set of 10beliefs and 10 stakeholders; each was significant (p's < .002). The ATs perceived confidentiality as the most facilitative belief and viewed ATs as the most facilitative stakeholder.
Conclusions: ATs differentiate among student-athletes' beliefs and stakeholders on how facilitative each might be in help-seeking, suggesting pathways for improving MH climate within athletic departments through education and policies.
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