Mental health in elite athletes: International Olympic Committee consensus statement (2019)

2019 British Journal of Sports Medicine 1,055 citations

Abstract

Mental health symptoms and disorders are common among elite athletes, may have sport related manifestations within this population and impair performance. Mental health cannot be separated from physical health, as evidenced by mental health symptoms and disorders increasing the risk of physical injury and delaying subsequent recovery. There are no evidence or consensus based guidelines for diagnosis and management of mental health symptoms and disorders in elite athletes. Diagnosis must differentiate character traits particular to elite athletes from psychosocial maladaptations. Management strategies should address all contributors to mental health symptoms and consider biopsychosocial factors relevant to athletes to maximise benefit and minimise harm. Management must involve both treatment of affected individual athletes and optimising environments in which all elite athletes train and compete. To advance a more standardised, evidence based approach to mental health symptoms and disorders in elite athletes, an International Olympic Committee Consensus Work Group critically evaluated the current state of science and provided recommendations.

Keywords

Mental healthPsychosocialBiopsychosocial modelAthletesMedicineElite athletesHarmElitePopulationPsychiatryPhysical therapyPsychologyEnvironmental healthPolitical science

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Publication Info

Year
2019
Type
article
Volume
53
Issue
11
Pages
667-699
Citations
1055
Access
Closed

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Claudia L. Reardon, Brian Hainline, Cindy Miller Aron et al. (2019). Mental health in elite athletes: International Olympic Committee consensus statement (2019). British Journal of Sports Medicine , 53 (11) , 667-699. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2019-100715

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DOI
10.1136/bjsports-2019-100715