Evidence map›Paper›PMID 28859666›Full record

SynthesisSystematic reviews2017

A systematic review of interventions to increase awareness of mental health and well-being in athletes, coaches and officials.

Gavin Breslin, Stephen Shannon, Tandy Haughey, Paul Donnelly, Gerard Leavey

Open access · goldAbstract readSystematic Review
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Systematic reviews, 2017. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 45 papers, 6 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
45citing papers in PubMed, 6 pooled it
22.3field-weighted citation impact, top 1% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

45 citing papers in PubMed, 6 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 232 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
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  5. Mental Well-Being or Ill-Being through Coaching in Adult Grassroots Sport: A Systematic Mapping Review.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2021
    Pooled it
  6. Mental Health Literacy Intervention on Help-Seeking in Athletes: A Systematic Review.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2020
    Pooled it
  7. Trial
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  12. Barriers and Enablers to Implementing Community Sports-Based Mental Health Promotion Initiatives: A Qualitative Study.Health promotion journal of Australia : official journal of Australian Association of Health Promotion Professionals · 2025
    Article
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  15. Review
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  18. Observational
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors at 2 institutions in 2 countries.

Gavin BreslinSport and Exercise Sciences Research Institute, Ulster University Jordanstown Campus, Shore Road, Newtownabbey, BT370QB, Northern Ireland.
Stephen ShannonSport and Exercise Sciences Research Institute, Ulster University Jordanstown Campus, Shore Road, Newtownabbey, BT370QB, Northern Ireland. shannon-s1@email.ulster.ac.uk.ORCID 0000-0001-6720-8189
Tandy HaugheySport and Exercise Sciences Research Institute, Ulster University Jordanstown Campus, Shore Road, Newtownabbey, BT370QB, Northern Ireland.
Paul DonnellySport Northern Ireland, House Of Sport, Upper Malone Road, Belfast, BT9 5LA, Northern Ireland.
Gerard LeaveyThe Bamford Centre for Mental Health and Wellbeing, Ulster University, Magee Campus, Derry, BT487JL, Northern Ireland.
University of Ulster · GBSport Ireland · IE

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe aim of the current study was to conduct a systematic review determining the effect of sport-specific mental health awareness programs to improve mental health knowledge and help-seeking among sports coaches, athletes and officials. The second aim was to review the study quality and to report on the validity of measures that were used to determine the effectiveness of programs.

methodsSport-specific mental health awareness programs adopting an experimental or quasi-experimental design were included for synthesis. Six electronic databases were searched: PsycINFO, MEDLINE (OVID interface), Scopus, Cochrane, CINAHL and SPORTDiscus. Each database was searched from its year of inception to October 2016. Risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane and QATSQ tools.

resultsTen studies were included from the 1216 studies retrieved: four comprising coaches or service providers, one with officials, four with athletes, and one involved a combination of coaches and athletes. A range of outcomes was used to assess indices of mental health awareness and well-being. Mental health referral efficacy was improved in six studies, while three reported an increase in knowledge about mental health disorders. However, seven studies did not report effect sizes for their outcomes, limiting clinically meaningful interpretations. Furthermore, there was substantial heterogeneity and limited validity in the outcome measures of mental health knowledge and referral efficacy. Seven studies demonstrated a high risk of bias.

conclusionsFurther, well-designed controlled intervention studies are required. Researchers, practitioners and policy makers should adhere to available methodological guidance and apply the psychological theory of behaviour change when developing and evaluating complex interventions.

trial registrationPROSPERO CRD42016040178.

Indexed as

AwarenessMental HealthMentoringAthletesHumansMental DisordersSportsAthletesHealth promotionInterventionsMental health literacyResilienceSport

Identifiers

PMID28859666
PMCPMC5579872
OpenAlexW2751258775

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.