Recently released data from the NCAA Student-Athlete Health and Wellness Study shows that student-athletes in all three divisions are reporting fewer mental health concerns as compared to at the height of the pandemic. Male athletes saw the biggest drops across the board, with the largest improvements seen in constantly feeling overwhelmed (down from 25% to 17%) and being mentally exhausted (down from 22% to 16%). The most significant improvements were seen among Division I men. Women reported improvements in all categories, but to a lesser degree than their male counterparts. 44% of women’s sports participants reported feeling overwhelmed (down from 47%), and 35% reported feeling mentally exhausted (down from 38%). Consistent with reports from 2020 and 2021, mental health struggles remain more common for student-athletes of color, those identifying on the queer spectrum, and those identifying as transgender or nonbinary. The biggest negative impact on student-athletes mental health is academic-related worries, followed by planning for the future, financial worries, playing time, and family worries.
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Of note is student-athletes’ reported comfort in speaking with their coaches about mental health issues – 54% of male athletes and 40% of women athletes report they are comfortable doing so. Both numbers are lower than reported in pre-pandemic studies with a decrease of eight and nine percentage points respectively.
