Athletes, like anyone else, can suffer from mental illness. Recognizing the warning signs of poor mental health in athletes is critical in order to provide the necessary support and resources.
According to new research, ‘put down’ language is a key indicator of poor mental health in athletes. Sports psychology experts from Staffordshire University and Manchester Metropolitan University interviewed over 400 athletes from various sports, ages, and levels of experience for the study.
The findings show that athletes’ belief systems, particularly irrational beliefs, are associated with lower self-confidence and, as a result, increased competitive anxiety and depressive symptoms. Phrases that reflect self-deprecating beliefs such as “if I lose, I’m a failure” or “If I face setbacks, it shows how stupid I am” are warning signs, say the authors.
We looked into athletes’ beliefs, how they perceive stress, and their levels of self-confidence, and then combined all of this information to see what might predict psychological well-being. We discovered that irrational beliefs are a major cause of symptoms of poor mental health in athletes.
Paul Mansell
“Despite the psychological benefits of physical activity, studies frequently report poor mental health in athletes, which may be exacerbated by adversities such as injury, de-selection, and performance pressure,” says Paul Mansell, Lecturer in Sport and Exercise Psychology at Staffordshire University.
“We looked into athletes’ beliefs, how they perceive stress, and their levels of self-confidence, and then combined all of this information to see what might predict psychological well-being. We discovered that irrational beliefs are a major cause of symptoms of poor mental health in athletes.”
This is the first known study to look at irrational beliefs, self-confidence, and athletes’ psychological well-being all at once. Irrational beliefs are extreme, rigid, and illogical ideas that people hold. For example, a person might believe that they “must” get what they want, or that just because they have failed, that they are a “complete failure.”
Dr. Martin Turner, from Manchester Metropolitan University, said: “In our recent study, self-depreciation beliefs were found to be the main predictor of low self-confidence. In simple terms, when an athlete put themselves down and uses language like “If I lose, it means I am a failure” it is most damaging and most likely to lead to losses of confidence. This is then likely to have a knock-on effect on performance and wellbeing.
“We can all work to help athletes develop mindsets that help them deal with the challenges of sport and life. By encouraging rational and logical beliefs about performance, we can help athletes to stay healthy amidst the high demands of competitive sport.”
The authors propose Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy (REBT) as a useful tool for boosting self-esteem. REBT assists athletes in challenging these self-depreciation beliefs and developing more helpful and healthy beliefs. For example, rather than believing that “I am a failure if I fail,” one could counter with “failing is not ideal, but it does not mean that I am a failure.”
“The good news is that irrational beliefs can be challenged and weakened,” Paul added. A coach, teammate, or sports psychologist can spot irrational belief phrases and assist athletes in countering them. Promoting helpful ‘self-talk’ or imagery can be extremely beneficial in shifting someone’s mindset from rigid and illogical to more rational, flexible, and healthy.”
