The effect of a mental health literacy intervention on Chinese team officials and staff in elite sports: a two-arm non-randomised controlled trial

Abstract

ABSTRACT Mental health issues among elite athletes have received much attention in recent years. A supportive sport promotes the mental health of its athletes, team officials and staff play a crucial role in assisting athletes to seek help for their mental health when needed. However, studies have demonstrated that these individuals do not have sufficient knowledge to provide the appropriate support and assistance. Mental health literacy (MHL) is a major factor influencing support and help-seeking attitudes. Therefore, the current study aimed to provide support staff with knowledge about MHL to increase their MHL levels, reduce their stigma towards mental health issues, and improve their help-seeking attitude and their confidence in helping athletes with mental health issues. To this end, a two-arm non-randomised controlled trial was used, during which one 4-hour MHL workshop was delivered to 74 team officials and staff between the ages of 22–54 (M = 35.65, SD = 8.16). Data were collected at three time points (pre-intervention, post- intervention and follow-up). The results showed that the participants in the MHL group significantly outperformed those in the wait list control (WLC) group in terms of improved MHL and help-seeking attitude and reduced stigma. However, compared with the WLC group, the participants’ confidence in helping athletes with mental health issues did not significantly improve at post- and follow-up examinations. This study has practical implications for interventions designed to promote MHL among Chinese team officials and staff in elite sports and provides suggestions for future research on MHL and help-seeking.