TITLE:
How University Athletics Can Impact Mental Health among Student Athletes at the University of Evansville
AUTHORS:
Claudia Hollis, Blake Johnson, Salma Gonzalez, Sarah Harness
KEYWORDS:
Student Athlete, Mental Health, Mental Health Resources
JOURNAL NAME:
Health,
Vol.16 No.3,
March
27,
2024
ABSTRACT: In recent years, the NCAA student athlete population in the United States
has surpassed 500,000, and is continuing to rise each year [1]. These
student athletes work their entire lives academically and athletically to reach
the ultimate goal: competing in university athletics. However, when these
athletes reach university, they are met with
non-stop training, homework, exams, and evolving social lives. We have
conducted a study at the University of Evansville evaluating how participation
in university athletics may impact mental health status among these student
athletes, as well as measuring players’ awareness of accessible mental health resources. Over fifty percent of
participants reported experiencing at least one mental health condition while
competing in their sport; eighty percent reported having knowledge of the
mental health resources available to them on
campus, however, nearly thirty percent of those knowledgeable reported
not knowing how to access these resources. This has indicated a gap in awareness and utilization of mental health resources among student athletes at the University of Evansville.