Stigma from the Seats: An International Survey of Fan Attitudes Toward Athlete Mental Health Disclosures

Internacional

Athletes face unique stressors on mental health, including internal and external pressure to succeed, overbearing time commitments, unexpected injury, and other challenges. Nonetheless, mental illness is stigmatized in sport. Depression, anxiety, and other issues are described as mental weakness, and athletes worry about sacrificing playing time, starting positions, and team respect should they seek treatment. Communication can help alleviate the stigma attached to mental illness in sport, improving attitudes toward help-seeking, challenging stereotypes, and illustrating the commonality of mental health issues. More recently, athletes have begun sharing their stories about battles with mental health. These disclosures are to share their struggles with both their fellow athletes and their fans with the hope that more people will seek mental health education, resources and treatment.

2024

Macromedia University (MU) - Alemanha
Sungkyunkwan University (SU) - Coréia do Sul
University of Alabama (UA) - EUA

Edital: Beyond Sports Institute - Agência: UA

Ana Carolina Soares Costa Vimieiro

Coletivo Marta - Grupo de Pesquisa em Comunicação e Culturas Esportivas

Spearheaded by the Beyond Sports Institute at The University of Alabama, a multinational survey will be conducted to examine fans attitudes toward athlete disclosures of mental health in four countries: Brazil, Germany, South Korea and the United States. The study will shed a light on the international and intercultural differences related to the effects of athlete disclosures of mental health on attitudes towards mental health and willingness to discuss personal struggles and seek resources.