Athlete and Nonathlete Intentions to Self-Manage Mental Health: Applying the Integrated Behavior Change Model to the State of Mind Program

Abstract

We aimed to determine whether a mental health awareness and self-management program could improve intentions to self-manage mental health for both athletes and nonathletes. Two hundred students (M age = 21.10 - years, SD = 3.73, male = 53%) took part. The intervention group showed an increase in self-management intentions (p < .05), facilitated indirectly through the intervention’s direct changes in autonomous (β = .13, p < .05) and controlled motivation (β = .18, p < .05), and direct (β = .28, p < .05) and indirect (β = .14, p < .05) changes in the attitude factor of the theory of planned behaviour. This is the first study to incorporate the Integrated Behaviour Change Model into a mental health intervention for student athletes. Lay Summary: We wanted to determine whether the State of Mind Ireland Program can improve intentions to self-manage mental health and to explain any changes through the integrated behavior change model. Those who received the program showed an increase in intentions to self-manage their mental health, through improved autonomous and controlled motivation, and attitudes towards self-managing mental health. The program can be integrated into athlete and non-athlete service provision as a prevention method.