The Signs Were There: Navigating the Challenges of Mental Health in Intercollegiate Athletics

Abstract

Collegiate athletes face pressures that can exacerbate mental health concerns, including suicidal thoughts and behaviors and self-injurious thoughts and behaviors. This case study examines the mental health challenges of Amelia Grace (pseudonym), a Division I collegiate volleyball player, highlighting the complexities of addressing mental health in the high-pressure environment of collegiate sports. The study focuses on Amelia’s mental health challenges, particularly her suicidal thoughts and behaviors and self-injurious thoughts and behaviors within the context of collegiate volleyball, and evaluates the effectiveness of a tailored intervention grounded in existential psychology and the interpersonal theory of suicide. The interpersonal theory of suicide served as the theoretical framework to examine Amelia’s experiences navigating mental health concerns. The intervention strategy combined existential psychological support with cognitive-behavioral techniques, emphasizing the development of coping strategies and existential growth. Amelia’s case illustrates significant mental health challenges compounded by the demands of collegiate volleyball and academic pressures. Notably, the intervention led to improvements in the athlete’s coping skills, a reduction in suicidal thoughts and behaviors and self-injurious thoughts and behaviors, and enhanced overall well-being. The case also highlights the critical role of supportive environments and targeted mental health interventions in collegiate athletics. It emphasizes the need for comprehensive mental health support systems tailored to the challenges athletes face. Through integrating existential psychology with evidence-based practices, the case advocates for systemic changes in collegiate athletic departments to prioritize and enhance mental health.