- 92% of athletic departments want psychiatric services included in their athletic programs
- The #1 resource college athletic departments wish they had is mental health training for coaches and directors
- Mantra Health publishes additional guidance outlining the barriers that prevent student-athletes from accessing mental health care and recommendations from leading experts such as Toronto Raptors’ Director of Wellness
NEW YORK Y KANSAS CITYMiss., July 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — A joint survey conducted by Mantra Healththe preeminent digital mental health clinic for young adults, and The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) revealed that college athletic directors currently lack the proper training and services needed to effectively address the student-athlete mental health crisis. An overwhelming majority (92%) of athletic staff reported that they do not have, but want, psychiatric services available in their athletic programs to support students, and 44% rated their university’s mental health resources as “average.”
The 2022 Student-Athlete Mental Health Survey from Mantra Health and NAIA was attended by more than 50 NAIA members (including 39 athletic directors) during May 2022. While many athletic departments recognize the need for more mental health resources, services and support, there is no clear direction to develop or implement them effectively. This survey identifies the resources college athletic departments need most and how they can develop and implement mental health best practices.
The main findings of the survey include:
- According to respondents, the top 3 factors affecting the mental health of student-athletes are: balancing academic and athletic responsibilities (92%), interpersonal relationships (82%), and financial security (77%).
- The #1 resource (90%) that athletic departments wish they had is mental health training for coaches and directors.
- 70% of athletic departments would like to have a sports psychologist or therapist in their athletic program.
- 48% of athletic department staff reported academic success as their top priority with regards to student mental health, while 44% reported student retention as their top concern.
“With all the stressors that come with juggling schoolwork, a social life and a demanding athletic career, it’s important that our institutions are able to protect and prioritize the mental health and well-being of our student-athletes,” said President and executive director of NAIA. Jim Carr. “We want to fully understand the services and resources that can help our student-athletes, and the findings from this survey go a long way toward giving us this insight.”
“In addition to the normal stressors of college life, student-athletes face a lot of pressure to perform in sports and academics while balancing interpersonal relationships and personal responsibilities,” said Dr. Liz Jodoin, solutions consultant Mantra Health clinics. “We have also seen that student-athletes are less likely to seek help than non-athletes, as many have been conditioned to play through physical, emotional and psychological pain. As a result, this has contributed, in part, to higher rates. high levels of stress, anxiety, depression and, in many cases, has exacerbated pre-existing mental health conditions.
Maintaining a strong and collaborative team of high-performing athletes is a top priority for coaches and athletic directors, even in individual sports. When one or two teammates are unable to play due to physical injury, it can significantly affect the team as a whole, and the same goes for a mental health issue. The difference, however, is that mental health conditions are invisible, making them easier to hide and more difficult to identify, diagnose, and treat.
“Elite athletes like simone bile and Naomi Osaka have recently stepped forward to share their personal experiences with mental health issues,” said Ed Gaussen, co-founder and CEO of Mantra Health. “While this is raising awareness about the mental health of student athletes, the biggest initiative that Mantra and the NAIA are trying to tackle is changing the culture of athletics. Our goal is to help athletic departments develop strong mental health practices.” , which will take time, research and collaboration. This will also have the greatest chance of addressing the specific needs of student-athletes and improving their long-term mental health.”
In addition to the survey, today Mantra launched Take a team approach to mental health, a best practice guide for college athletic departments. In this guide, athletic directors and mental health professionals address the barriers that prevent student-athletes from accessing quality mental health care and offer recommendations for transforming athletic departments to better support the mental well-being of students. student-athletes.
- To download the 2022 Mantra Health and NAIA Student-Athlete Mental Health Survey Click here.
- Discharge Take a team approach to mental health Click here.
For more information about Mantra Health’s student and athlete mental health services, please contact [email protected] or visit mantrahealth.com.
About the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA)
The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), based in Kansas City, Missouri, is a governing body for small athletics programs that are dedicated to character-driven intercollegiate athletics. NAIA members provide more than 77,000 student-athletes with opportunities to play college sports, win $800 million on scholarships and compete in 27 national championships. naia.org | @NAIA
brad cyan
Director of Athletics Communications
[email protected]
Phone: 816.595.8119 | Phone: 618.210.4518
About Mantra Health
Mantra Health is a digital mental health clinic with a mission to improve access to evidence-based mental health care for young adults. Augmenting high-quality clinical services with software and design, we aim to improve the mental health of more than 20 million college and university students through partnerships with institutions of higher education and health insurance plans. The Mantra program has been implemented on more than 50 campuses with more than 500,000 students, including State of Pennsylvania, MIT, Cornelland Miami Dade College.
Media contact
bay laurel
203.767.5963
[email protected]
SOURCE Mantra Health
.
