A qualitative examination of factors inhibiting and facilitating professional mental health help-seeking following injury in sub-elite club Gaelic footballers (2024)

O’Keeffe, S., O’Connor, S., Campbell, M. (Accepted/In press). A qualitative examination of factors inhibiting and facilitating professional mental health help-seeking following injury in sub-elite club Gaelic footballers. International Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1080/1612197X.2023.2295507

O’Keeffe, Sinéad ; O’Connor, Siobhán ; Campbell, Mark et al. / A qualitative examination of factors inhibiting and facilitating professional mental health help-seeking following injury in sub-elite club Gaelic footballers. In: International Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology. 2023.

@article{22be50a6764a4e8b805c20f4bbf57ac4,

title = "A qualitative examination of factors inhibiting and facilitating professional mental health help-seeking following injury in sub-elite club Gaelic footballers",

abstract = "Mental health issues are common in Gaelic footballers, with injury significantly increasing the risk of experiencing symptoms of a common mental disorder. However, professional help-seeking is not common in athletes, with a preference for informal help sources who may be untrained and inexperienced to provide help and support. Participation at the sub-elite, or club, level represents the broadest playing population in Gaelic football and therefore, the current study aimed to examine the barriers and facilitators to professional mental health help-seeking among sub-elite adult Gaelic footballers. Male (n = 14) and female (n = 13) sub-elite Gaelic footballers with a history of injury participated in a focus group. Focus groups were audio-taped, transcribed verbatim and thematically analysed. Education, the attitudes, actions and opinions of others and accessibility were perceived as key barriers and facilitators to help-seeking among sub-elite Gaelic footballers. Negative self-attitudes to help-seeking and characteristics of the professional help-provider were identified as additional barriers. Interventions aimed at reducing identified barriers must be introduced and professional mental health help-seeking facilitated to ensure Gaelic footballers are managing their mental health post-injury.",

keywords = "GAA, Injury psychology, barriers, education, recreational players",

author = "Sin{\'e}ad O{\textquoteright}Keeffe and Siobh{\'a}n O{\textquoteright}Connor and Mark Campbell and {N{\'i} Ch{\'e}illeachair}, Niamh",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2023 International Society of Sport Psychology.",

year = "2023",

doi = "10.1080/1612197X.2023.2295507",

language = "English",

journal = "International Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology",

issn = "1612-197X",

publisher = "Taylor and Francis Ltd.",

}

O’Keeffe, S, O’Connor, S, Campbell, M 2023, 'A qualitative examination of factors inhibiting and facilitating professional mental health help-seeking following injury in sub-elite club Gaelic footballers', International Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1080/1612197X.2023.2295507

A qualitative examination of factors inhibiting and facilitating professional mental health help-seeking following injury in sub-elite club Gaelic footballers. / O’Keeffe, Sinéad; O’Connor, Siobhán; Campbell, Mark et al.
In: International Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 2023.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

TY - JOUR

T1 - A qualitative examination of factors inhibiting and facilitating professional mental health help-seeking following injury in sub-elite club Gaelic footballers

AU - O’Keeffe, Sinéad

AU - O’Connor, Siobhán

AU - Campbell, Mark

AU - Ní Chéilleachair, Niamh

N1 - Publisher Copyright:© 2023 International Society of Sport Psychology.

PY - 2023

Y1 - 2023

N2 - Mental health issues are common in Gaelic footballers, with injury significantly increasing the risk of experiencing symptoms of a common mental disorder. However, professional help-seeking is not common in athletes, with a preference for informal help sources who may be untrained and inexperienced to provide help and support. Participation at the sub-elite, or club, level represents the broadest playing population in Gaelic football and therefore, the current study aimed to examine the barriers and facilitators to professional mental health help-seeking among sub-elite adult Gaelic footballers. Male (n = 14) and female (n = 13) sub-elite Gaelic footballers with a history of injury participated in a focus group. Focus groups were audio-taped, transcribed verbatim and thematically analysed. Education, the attitudes, actions and opinions of others and accessibility were perceived as key barriers and facilitators to help-seeking among sub-elite Gaelic footballers. Negative self-attitudes to help-seeking and characteristics of the professional help-provider were identified as additional barriers. Interventions aimed at reducing identified barriers must be introduced and professional mental health help-seeking facilitated to ensure Gaelic footballers are managing their mental health post-injury.

AB - Mental health issues are common in Gaelic footballers, with injury significantly increasing the risk of experiencing symptoms of a common mental disorder. However, professional help-seeking is not common in athletes, with a preference for informal help sources who may be untrained and inexperienced to provide help and support. Participation at the sub-elite, or club, level represents the broadest playing population in Gaelic football and therefore, the current study aimed to examine the barriers and facilitators to professional mental health help-seeking among sub-elite adult Gaelic footballers. Male (n = 14) and female (n = 13) sub-elite Gaelic footballers with a history of injury participated in a focus group. Focus groups were audio-taped, transcribed verbatim and thematically analysed. Education, the attitudes, actions and opinions of others and accessibility were perceived as key barriers and facilitators to help-seeking among sub-elite Gaelic footballers. Negative self-attitudes to help-seeking and characteristics of the professional help-provider were identified as additional barriers. Interventions aimed at reducing identified barriers must be introduced and professional mental health help-seeking facilitated to ensure Gaelic footballers are managing their mental health post-injury.

KW - GAA

KW - Injury psychology

KW - barriers

KW - education

KW - recreational players

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85180499157&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1080/1612197X.2023.2295507

DO - 10.1080/1612197X.2023.2295507

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85180499157

SN - 1612-197X

JO - International Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology

JF - International Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology

ER -

O’Keeffe S, O’Connor S, Campbell M, Ní Chéilleachair N. A qualitative examination of factors inhibiting and facilitating professional mental health help-seeking following injury in sub-elite club Gaelic footballers. International Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology. 2023. doi: 10.1080/1612197X.2023.2295507